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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518838">The Avatar's Flame</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakeItTillYouMakeIt/pseuds/BakeItTillYouMakeIt'>BakeItTillYouMakeIt</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Airbending &amp; Airbenders, Assault, Crazy Azula (Avatar), Discussion of Abortion, Drinking, Earthbending &amp; Earthbenders, F/M, Firebending &amp; Firebenders, Foreplay, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Injury, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Loss of Virginity, Major Character Injury, Non Benders (Avatar), Oral Sex, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Prison, Prostitution, Rough Sex, Tattoos, Underage Drinking, Underage Prostitution, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence, Waterbending &amp; Waterbenders, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:47:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>55,590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518838</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakeItTillYouMakeIt/pseuds/BakeItTillYouMakeIt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zhao was not the last person Jeong Jeong taught before Aang arrived at his camp. About a year before the young Avatar arrived, a young woman named Sita turned up after fleeing the Fire Nation and became Jeong Jeong's prized pupil. Since then, the two of them have traveled as fugitives, keeping themselves and their identities a secret. However, when Aang comes along, how easily can Sita continue to hide her past? Why is she on the run? What will she become to the young man who is supposed to save the world?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Original Female Character, Haru/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong/Sokka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Deserter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>General Note: Everyone is four years older than their canonical ages. Aang is now 16, Katara is 18, Sokka is 19, Sita is 17, Zuko is 21, Azula is 18, and so on and so forth. This has been done to address the more complicated themes in this story with the slightest bit of ease.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Get out.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Those words were the only sounds other than the soft flickering sounds of the candles surrounding the speaker, an old man with wild hair and simple garments clothing his hunched figure. The person he was speaking to, Avatar Aang, stopped in his tracks about a foot inside the tent. He took a deep breath and bowed slightly to show respect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Jeong Jeong, I need to learn firebending,” He greeted with a low and humble voice. The man, Jeong Jeong, sighed again and shook his head in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only a fool seeks his own destruction. Besides, I already have a student and I do not need a second one.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked up and frowned. He had heard from Jeong Jeong’s disciple Chey that there was already a student, but surely this man could teach more than one pupil. He took a step closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm the Avatar, it's my destiny to-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Destiny?” Jeong Jeong rounded on him with anger in his eyes. “What would a boy know of destiny? If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does he know the river's destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of his control! He may follow where it flows, but he cannot see the end. He cannot imagine the ocean,” He rambled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stared at him, still standing on the opposite side of the tent, with confusion. “Okay, but it's the Avatar's duty to master all of the bending disciplines.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong scoffed. “To master the bending disciplines, you must first master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you! Now, get out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, I have to learn. This could be my only chance,” Aang pleaded desperately while taking another step towards Jeong Jeong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The firebender shook his head angrily. “Are you deaf? How can I teach you if you refuse to listen? Before learning firebending you must learn water and earth. Water is cool and soothing, earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive!” He conjured a flame in his hand to prove his point. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It breathes, it grows. Without the bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it! That is its destiny! You are not ready! You are too weak!” He finished with a snarl, only to gasp as the candles around him suddenly flared with heat and flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched as he seemed to enter a sort of trance and took another step forward, worry bracing his heart like a vice. He listened to the firebender’s mutterings, which seemed almost entirely nonsensical to him. A moment later, however, Jeong Jeong looked up with an expression that was surely the most interesting mix of defeat and determination. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes, I will teach you,” He murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang blinked several times before grinning and throwing his hands in the air. “Really? That's great!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong groaned in response and moved to stand in front of Aang with a stern expression. “First things first,” He began. Aang relaxed his excited stance and watched him carefully. “You must meet my student, Sita.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita?” Jeong Jeong nodded. “Where is she?” Aang asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong didn’t give a response to that, choosing instead to lead him out of the tent and over to a large bonfire. Aang followed hesitantly and didn’t say a word as they approached until he realized they weren’t the only ones there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sitting on a log next to the fire, was a girl who couldn’t be much older than he was. She clearly belonged to the Fire Nation, with an angular face, ebony hair that reached her waist, and the typical light golden eyes that were common there. Even her clothes were from the Fire Nation, with an outfit made up of a red sarong tied at her torso to clothe her legs and a strapless top made of a matching red fabric that had been wound around her chest so that her midriff was exposed. She looked up as they approached and stood from her log to walk over to Jeong Jeong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Jeong Jeong,” She greeted with a bow at the waist. Jeong Jeong bowed in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good evening, Sita,” He raised himself from the bow and turned to gesture to Aang, “This is Aang, he will be learning firebending alongside yourself, but he will be starting with the basics. Will you see to it that he and his friends are fed before the night is out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched as Sita too straightened from her bow and moved to look at him. He flashed a quick smile that dropped when he didn’t receive one in return. Instead, she looked back at Jeong Jeong a moment later and gave a firm nod. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Master,” She moved to go back to the fire, where a pot hung over the flames by a pole. Sita quickly removed the lid and then began to scoop the contents into a bowl, which she passed to Jeong Jeong. “Dinner just finished cooking, I was about to call the others over anyways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong nodded and took the bowl from her, within which was some soup made of rice, broth, and vegetables. “I shall see you both in the morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, he turned and left the two pupils alone. Aang watched Jeong Jeong walk away before turning back to Sita, who was still standing only a few feet away from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go grab my friends and let them know there’s food,” He offered with a point in Katara and Sokka’s general direction. Sita nodded and flashed him a quick smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have bowls ready for you all when you return,” She promised, earning a bigger smile from Aang as she turned and made her way back over to the pot. As she did so, however, Aang's smile morphed into a face of amazement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gliding down the middle of Sita’s spine, was a tattoo of a dragon. An intricate one if he said so himself given the attention to the patterns and design in the piece. His eyes wandered and he noted she had four more, one for each shoulder and hip. Before he could wonder what they were for, though, he remembered his friends. He turned and made his way back over to the entrance of the camp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Katara! Sokka!” Aang called out, beaming as the two Water Tribe siblings turned from where they stood next to Appa and smiled back at him. A moment later they ran over to meet him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How did it go?” Katara asked. “Is Jeong Jeong going to teach you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded. “Yeah, he’s teaching me and a girl named Sita.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka immediately tensed and reached for his boomerang. “There’s another firebender here? Are you sure we can trust that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara rolled her eyes. “If Jeong Jeong is a deserter, I doubt he would have a student that’s loyal to the Fire Nation, Sokka.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m being serious, Katara,” Sokka argued. “The last thing we need is another firebender we don’t know. She could-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to attack you.” The three travelers whirled around at the sound of Sita’s low and breathy voice. “I have no motive to attack the Avatar or his friends,” Sita explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes narrowed at her. “How do we know that? How can we trust you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita rolled her eyes. “I’m also a wanted fugitive, just like Jeong Jeong. Trust me when I say that I truly have no motive here,” Sokka opened his mouth to retort. “I don’t want to turn him in and go back to the Fire Nation as a free woman, so don’t even consider that theory.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara then moved forward as if to protect Aang. Despite her earlier words, she was still wary of strangers when they came into contact with them. “What are you wanted for?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched from behind Katara’s shoulder as Sita regarded them all with a closed-off expression. Sokka’s fingers twitched closer to his boomerang as the silence stretched on. Katara’s inched closer to her small sack of water on her hip. Finally, Sita held up her hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I may or may not have burned someone incredibly important and then run away immediately after,” She confessed, deciding it was not worth it to fight with the siblings over maintaining her secrecy in regards to that subject. All of their mouths dropped open in shock. “Now, come this way. Dinner just finished cooking and it’s best when it’s hot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s arms went limp as he watched her turn and walk over to the bonfire. Once she was out of earshot, he rounded on Katara and Aang. “Are we seriously going to believe that?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shrugged. “She seemed pretty serious when she said it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded slowly. “She did, but I still don’t trust her completely,” She sighed and looked between Aang and Sokka. “Just, keep an eye on her. If you see something that doesn’t look right, then we’ll deal with it then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two boys nodded in response and followed her over to the bonfire, where Sita was already sitting with four filled bowls of soup. They all took a seat on separate logs, their eyes nervous and twitchy as they stole glances at Sita. She hummed as she passed them the bowls, and didn’t attempt to start a conversation as she began to eat. Instead, she looked out at the river that lay beside their camp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Several minutes later, Aang let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and turned to look at Sita. “So, how long have you been Jeong Jeong’s student?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked away from the river to address him properly. “About a year,” She replied simply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka leaned forward in his seat with a tense gaze at the young Fire Nation girl. “And where were you before you found him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Fire Nation Capital,” Katara’s eyebrows furrowed while Sokka’s jaw dropped. “Of course, there were some stops along the way but I doubt you want to hear about them,” Sita added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you a noblewoman?” Katara asked slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita snorted as she sipped on a bit of broth and shook her head. “Farthest thing from it, I’m afraid. Besides, have you ever seen a noblewoman with tattoos?” She asked with a nod to her shoulder and the dragon emblazoned on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The monks had tattoos, why not noblewomen?” Aang wondered. Sokka shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, she’s got a point here. Noblewomen would never get a tattoo, it’s seen as something beneath them,” He explained. Sita nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And trust me, my way of life was </span>
  <em>
    <span>certainly </span>
  </em>
  <span>beneath theirs,” She murmured before taking another sip of her soup. “Now, where are you two from? The Northern or the Southern Water Tribe?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Sokka shared a look before shrugging. "We’re from the Southern Water Tribe,” She answered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita hummed. “Are either of you waterbenders?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stiffened and shared a look with Katara and Sokka, who were both tense again. He focused on Sita. “Why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Curiosity, mostly,” Sita chewed on a vegetable, “It’ll be a strange sight to see a Waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara frowned. “Strange? Why? Our tribe has a rich history of waterbending, we just-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Haven’t had a waterbender in your tribe in years?” Sita finished with a raised eyebrow. Katara stared at her before nodding slowly. “Have you ever wondered why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have to wonder,” Sokka interrupted coolly. “Your people probably did something to them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang froze, waiting for Sita to become mortally offended and possibly lash out. He was surprised, however, to see her give a resigned sigh and set her now empty bowl on the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are probably right,” She agreed. “I never knew what happened, but the idea that your Tribe didn’t have any waterbenders puzzled me for a very long time.” She paused. “It still does.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for several moments before Sita shook her head and picked up her bowl again. “I’m off to bed. Please rinse your bowls out in the river and then put them back here,” She instructed with a gesture to a small sack next to the bonfire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly and watched her walk towards the river bank to rinse out her own dish. He turned back to Katara and Sokka. “She seems pretty nice!” He pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka frowned and eyed Sita tensely. “I know you want to trust her, Aang, but it’s going to take a lot more for Katara and me to do the same.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded while Aang frowned at him. “She’s part of the Fire Nation, Aang. Even if she’s a wanted fugitive to them she’s still part of the enemy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How?” Aang questioned. “The Fire Nation wants her captured, just like they do me. Why would she have loyalty to them anymore?” Katara opened her mouth but Aang shook his head. “Besides, if I can see someone nice after what the Fire Nation did to my people, then you can try to do the same.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka and Katara winced but didn’t get a chance to say anything else as Aang stood up and went to the river bank and washed out his dish in silence. They followed him soon after, and in that same silence went back to Appa to rest for the day to come. Opposite them, at the main camp, Sita sat in her tent with a white flame in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is going to be interesting.” She hummed to herself as she sipped her tea, the flame in her other hand growing and shrinking with each sip. Only once she finished the tea did she extinguish the flame and lay down on the hard earth beneath her to sleep until just before sunrise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita yawned as she exited her tent at dawn, her arms instinctively coming up towards the sky in a stretch. She shivered pleasantly as the first rays of sunlight tickled her skin and cut through the cool air. Her arms came down and she turned to the side to see Jeong Jeong waiting for her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You will begin with your breathing exercises and stretches, without flames until the sun breaks over the trees. Once there is more light, you can add the flames,” He instructed. Sita nodded and bowed with one hand in a fist and the other atop it and open. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Master,” She murmured before standing and making her way out onto the bank, where a small peninsula jutted out into the river. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong watched as she lowered herself into her stance and extended her arms out to feel the sunlight. The gentle breeze from the flowing river caused her sarong to flutter lightly, but she didn’t shiver and instead allowed her body to absorb the sensations so she could concentrate on the barest heat from the sun. Jeong Jeong conjured a small flame in his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay steady,” He warned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita didn’t respond, her eyes had long since closed and she was firmly in her own state of mind. Jeong Jeong watched her with pride and sent a small flame shooting at the ground next to her foot. Nothing moved an inch, not even the tips of her slender fingers. Sita took a deep breath and focused on the heat from the sunlight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feel the heat moving through the air,” Jeong Jeong reminded her before shooting two more flames at the ground. He watched them warily and nodded as they seemed to extinguish in time with Sita’s exhale. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A short while later, Sokka and Katara approached the camp. Jeong Jeong watched as Sokka made his way over to a massive boulder, fishing pole in hand, and began assembling his rod. Nearby, Katara moved to the very shore of the bank and started practicing her waterbending. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita then stood from her squat and began slowly lifting her right leg until her toes were at eye level. She held the position for ten seconds, still focusing on the heat from the sun, and then lowered her leg before repeating it with the left one. By the time she had stretched each leg twenty times, she felt awake and alive. Sita took one last deep breath and bent down in an arc to her left side, then straightened and bent down to touch her toes, then straightened and bent down in an arc to the right. Just as she straightened up after the last bend, Jeong Jeong turned back to her and gestured to the tree line, where the sun was beaming at them from above it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You may move on,” He decided. Sita nodded and opened her eyes to move to the same squatting position from before. “Start with a single flame and manipulate it between your hands.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara paused in her waterbending and watched as Sita extended one hand in front of her to generate a small flame in her hand. Next to her, Sokka did the same with suspicion in their eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita paid them no mind, however, and instead focused on the flame and her breathing. She carefully inhaled, the air coaxing her flame to grow by several inches, and exhaled to decrease its size to barely the height of a small flower. Her other hand came up as she inhaled again, and moved to hover half a foot above the flame, palm down. Sita carefully passed the flame between her two palms by pushing the flame out from between her hands to dance in the air before moving to the palm of her upper hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very good, Sita,” Jeong Jeong praised. “Continue that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as his student flipped the position of her hands so that instead of one being on top of the other they faced each other horizontally. She then pulled them farther apart and began passing the flame between them, with complicated twists and turns of the flame as it flew through the air. After several minutes, she took a deep breath and watched the flame grow to a large sphere of power, before letting the breath out and shrinking the flame until it extinguished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita then moved out of the squat to repeat the same stretches from earlier, but this time with a flame. She inhaled as she raised her right leg, the barest hint of a smile on her face as a flame grew from her foot. With each rise and lowering of each leg, she could feel her body becoming warmed up, used to channel the energy required to create the type of fire she loved. She began her stretches to each side and down the middle, carrying a flame in her hands during each stretch, and reveled in the sheer control she held over the flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she finished her last stretch, she extinguished her flame and turned to Jeong Jeong. “May I add a second flame?” She requested politely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong nodded. “Yes, but you must keep the flames the same size. Learning control is of the utmost importance in firebending.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Master,” Sita replied with a quick bow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong watched her return to her initial stance and hold out both palms in front of her so that they pointed to the sky. A moment later, a flame sat in each palm. Sita took a deep breath and allowed the flame to grow before exhaling to shrink it. She repeated this several times before finding a size of flame she was comfortable with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Concentrate,” He warned as she began to manipulate the flames into the air. “Balance the power inside you between the two flames. Do not let one become weaker than the other.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara watched as Sita continued to guide the flames through the air, her features showing nothing other than determination and sheer focus. Even Sokka was watching as well, despite his fishhook bobbing in the river in an attempt to lure prey. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly there was an audible whoosh as Sita increased the power of each flame simultaneously. Katara instinctively took a step back and brought her hands up, a large blob of water following a moment later as if to act as a shield. Sita, however, was incredibly unaffected and instead slowly moved her hands so that the two flames stretched into long tendrils that wrapped around each other like vines. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Master Jeong Jeong!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita tensed and forced her flames back to her palms at Aang’s shout before exhaling to allow them to dissipate. She turned along with Jeong Jeong to address Aang. Further up the bank, Katara and Sokka went back to their bending and fishing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was some really awesome bending, Sita!” Aang complimented. The girl allowed a small smile to slip past before she schooled her features. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Aang,” She replied. Her eyes slipped over to Jeong Jeong. “Shall I do the first six basic sets, Master?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong nodded. “Go further up the river. I do not want Aang to lose his concentration in the face of ambition.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded and bowed before running up the river to a more secluded spot where Aang and his companions could not see her easily. Aang watched her leave before turning to Jeong Jeong, who gestured to a flat rock a few feet into the river. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stand on that rock,” He ordered. “You will feel the heat more easily there than on the grass.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and lept onto the rock with a small boost from his airbending. “Now what?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong suppressed a sigh. “Get in your stance.” Aang stared at him confusedly. He pursed his lips and went into a deep squat. “Like this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This?” Aang wondered while maneuvering into a slightly shallower squat. Jeong Jeong shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Widen your stance.” Aang wiggled his feet a little wider. Jeong Jeong frowned. “Wider!” Aang winced as his legs began to feel a slight burn from the position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bend your knees. Now, concentrate,” Aang settled into an expression of extreme concentration. “Good, good!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened as Jeong Jeong turned and began to walk away. “Wait! What do I do now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong whirled back around to glare at him. “Silence! Talking is not concentrating!” He pointed at Katara, “Look at your friend, is she talking?” He gestured over at Sita, “Was my student talking?” He jabbed a finger in Sokka’s general direction. “Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Sokka exclaimed with a pout. Aang frowned and looked back at Jeong Jeong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But what am I concentrating on?” He wondered. His teacher gestured up at the sky, where the sun shone brilliantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Feel the heat of the sun. It is the greatest source of fire,” Jeong Jeong gestured around them. “Yet, it is in complete balance with nature!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s frown deepened. “So when do I get to make some fire?” He asked disappointedly. Jeong Jeong’s face fell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Concentrate!” He stared at Aang critically. “Everyone has a starting point. How else do you think Sita has such control over her flames?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked down at his legs and up at the sun. “So, I have to squat, breathe, and feel the sun, and then I can make fire?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong didn’t respond that time, choosing instead to go to where Sita had decided to practice. Aang watched him leave before settling into his stance and beginning to breathe, much to Katara and Sokka’s amusement. He turned towards his friends with a glare, who immediately stopped snickering and left him in peace. Idly, he looked over at where he could see the tendrils of Sita’s white flames dancing in the air. He took another breath and tried to focus on the heat he was feeling from the beaming sunlight on his skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was how he remained until Sita and Jeong Jeong walked back up the bank an hour later. Katara and Sokka stopped their bending and fishing as they approached and moved farther up the bank to where he was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita is heading into the village to run errands, if any of you are needing anything I would suggest going with her,” Jeong Jeong explained once they were close enough. Aang opened his mouth only for Jeong Jeong to raise his hand. “Not you, you have to continue training.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-” Aang tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Jeong Jeong retorted firmly with a slight glare. Sita winced and sent him a tiny smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can pick up whatever you need,” She offered. Aang’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?” He asked. Sita nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, it’s not a problem,” She assured him. Aang nodded and opened his mouth to ask her to pick up some cherry plums when Katara interjected. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I think Sokka and I can take care of that,” She decided. Sita blinked at her, slightly taken aback, while Aang winced at her rudeness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Sita looked over at Aang and back at Katara. “If you’re sure, then that’s okay. I’m going to start walking up there, I just need to change.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Change?” Aang wondered. Sita laughed softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m a fugitive, remember? Kind of need to hide these,” She explained with a gesture to her tattoos. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly in understanding and watched as she made her way over to her tent before looking over at Katara and Sokka. “You didn’t need to be so rude, Katara.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara blushed a deep red and avoided his gaze. Sokka, however, shrugged and sent an uneasy glance at the tent Sita had disappeared into. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know her, Aang,” He reminded him. At that moment, Jeong Jeong, who everyone had forgotten was there, sighed disappointedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You may not know her, but Sita is not one to betray,” He murmured with a sad sort of stare at the tent. “In the year I’ve known her I’ve never met anyone as trustworthy. I would suggest you try to get to know her better before you alienate her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one had a chance to reply to that as Sita exited her tent a moment later in her disguise. Constructed of a simple brown tunic and pants and a hat similar to Chey’s, she was almost entirely unrecognizable from before. Sita looked down and checked to make sure she had everything she needed before turning to Jeong Jeong and waving goodbye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do not stay there for too long, Sita,” Jeong Jeong advised, a deep frown on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded and pulled the brim of her hat down to shield her face before turning and dashing into the woods. Katara and Sokka shared a look before moving to follow her as Sokka had taken their pouch of money with him to the river that morning. This left Aang and Jeong Jeong standing together in silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a few moments at least. Jeong Jeong whirled on him a second later and pointed at his legs. “Assume your stance!” He ordered. Aang winced and adjusted his legs until he could feel the slight burn again. “Good. Now, concentrate on the heat from the sun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That night, Sita sat next to the fire with several fish from the river roasting on spears. She hummed to herself as she carefully seasoned the fish and turned them on the spears to ensure they were fully cooked. CRACK. She whipped around to see Sokka approaching the fire, his own fish in hand, having stepped on a stick. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded in greeting. “Hello Sokka,” She murmured while reaching out and plucking some of the spears out of the dirt to move them closer to the others. “There’s room for you if you’d like to cook your fish here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka stared at her for several seconds. Since coming back from the market, Sita had made an effort to avoid him, Aang and Katara whenever they were together, choosing instead to find a spot to practice her bending for most of the day. In fact, he wasn’t sure he had seen her take a break for longer than the ten minutes it took for her to eat a small amount of food and drink some water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka?” Sita chimed, staring at him worriedly. “I can set up your own fire if you’d like. You don’t have to use this one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as Sokka shook his head and walked over to the fire to assemble his own spears. As he forced the fish onto the spears and began to cook them, Sita turned her attention back to the fish she had been cooking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Sokka eventually mumbled. “For letting me use the fire.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gave a small smile in response. “It’s not a problem, and it’s not like I own the fire,” She looked into the flames with a pensive stare. “It’s energy, it’s life, and we share it in this camp.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka didn’t know what to say in response to that and instead focused on the spears, one of which was also decorated with vegetables and fruits for Aang as he didn’t even eat fish. For a short while, the air was filled with the sounds of a crackling fire until Sita stood and began removing the fish to put on a large platter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you cook for everyone in the camp?” He asked, watching her movements carefully. Sita looked up and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I cook for everyone. Why do you ask?” She wondered. Sokka shook his head and looked back at his fish. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just wondering,” He replied. There was silence for several minutes. "You're a pretty good firebender."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita hummed softly. "Thank you, I've worked hard to achieve the progress I've made."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka watched as she grabbed a chopstick and carefully poked at the fish one last time to make sure they were all cooked. "So, what do you think about Aang being here?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tensed as Sita paused in her movements to look back up at him. For what seemed to be several moments, she didn't say a word. Finally, she sighed. "I think it's dangerous," She admitted. "For Aang and for our camp. If any curious souls made their way over here, we'd be in quite a bit of trouble."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes, but is Aang in danger from you?" Sokka shot back with a suspicious glare. Sita raised an eyebrow at the remark and shook her head slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No. He's not. I have no true loyalty to the Fire Nation or its goals," She looked into Sokka's eyes, her jaw raised and defiant. "Not everyone supports Ozai, you know. Especially not the ones who have been caught up in the," Her nose wrinkled with distaste, "Unsavory parts of his reign."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka frowned at that. "What did the Fire Nation do to you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita opened her mouth to respond, but Katara and Aang broke through the treeline a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That smells amazing, Sokka!” Aang cheered at the sight of the food cooking over the fire. The Water Tribe boy shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re probably smelling Sita’s cooking,” He turned to gesture at the firebender, only to see she had run away. Aang frowned as well and looked around. “I think she left to give the others their food.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The others?” Katara wondered as she took a seat on a log. Sokka idly turned the spear so that the fire coated the food evenly with its heat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She makes food for everyone in the camp, apparently,” He explained. Aang’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s really nice of her,” He said with a smile. “Did she say if she was gonna come back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka shook his head. “Nope, why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara frowned as Aang attempted to look nonchalant. “Yeah, why Aang?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No reason,” Aang stammered, his ears turning red at the tips. Katara raised an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You sure? You seem pretty interested in Sita considering we don’t know her,” She pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang winced and leaned forward. “Okay, okay, fine. I was hoping I could ask her about the more advanced firebending moves,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara’s eyes widened. “Why would you do that?” She demanded. “You should only focus on what Jeong Jeong is teaching you, Aang.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I want to make fire!” Aang whined. Sokka scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“With that attitude, you’re gonna rush into something you won’t know how to control,” He stated firmly. “Katara’s right. We’ve all seen Sita firebending, and from what we know about it it’s pretty clear she’s very good at it. That and I just asked her and she's been training for the entire time she's been here with Jeong Jeong, so her training is exponentially stronger than yours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she really is incredibly strong as a bender,” Katara agreed. Giving Sita a compliment tied her stomach into uncomfortable, almost nauseating, knots but she couldn’t deny the fact that she was a very skilled firebender. “Which is why you shouldn’t try to aim for exactly what she’s doing. We don’t know how long it took her to get to that level of mastery outside of the year she's had with Jeong Jeong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang sighed and looked into the flames, choosing to drop the subject for the night. Instead, they talked about their projected route to get to the North Pole and the possibility of working on waterbending when Aang had breaks from his firebending lessons. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For two more days Aang’s training proceeded in a similar fashion. He came to the camp when the sun broke over the trees to see Sita finishing up her breathing and stretching exercises before she would leave to do her sets in private. Then, he would go and stand on his rock to breathe and feel the sun. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the fourth day, however, Sita was nowhere to be seen when Aang arrived at the camp. He frowned and looked over at where Jeong Jeong stood at the side of the bank, soaking up the sun’s rays. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Sita?” Aang wondered as he walked over to his teacher. Jeong Jeong didn’t say a word, instead turning and leading him away from the river to a hill with large rocks atop it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, further downstream, Sita sighed happily as she waded into the river, her skin delighting in the feeling of cool water gliding across it. She carefully submerged herself in the depths and ran her fingers through her hair to dislodge some of the less developed knots in it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” A voice called out in shock from behind her. Sita whipped around, her arms immediately coming up to cover her chest. She relaxed, however, when she realized the speaker was Katara. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you mind-” Katara held her hands up to cover her eyes and shook her head apologetically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m leaving now!” She shouted. “Sorry for interrupting!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched as Katara stumbled away, her hands still covering her eyes, and shook her head with a slightly amused smile before reaching over to the large rock where she had placed her beauty products and clothes. She plucked a tin from the rock and removed the lid to reveal a brown powder, which she carefully scooped a small spoonful of into a bowl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now for the water,” She murmured to herself while dipping the spoon into the river. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once it had some water, she ignited a small flame on her fingertip and warmed it up before mixing it with the powder. Sita watched as the powder absorbed it before spooning another scoop of water out of the river to heat and add once more. Finally, the powder turned into a thick, syrup-like mixture that she slowly poured onto her scalp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita then moved her fingers up to massage the mixture into her scalp and through her hair, the sensation of which sent slight shivers down her spine. After a few moments, she leaned back and dipped her hair into the river to rinse out the mixture. She sighed as she ran her fingers through every inch of the ebony locks until she was sure the mixture had been entirely rinsed out, at which point she lifted her head from the river and turned back to the rock. Her hand reached out and removed the lid to a second tin, which contained a small bar scented with jasmine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“This will make you smell like a lady, Sita…”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She blinked at the memory and shook her head to clear it before removing the bar and passing it between her hands to create a soft lather that she then spread over her skin to remove the dirt and sweat that lingered from training. Within minutes, Sita felt clean and fresh and breathed in the smell of jasmine with a small smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And now we finish and pack up,” She murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, Sita heaved herself out of the water and onto the rock, where she carefully cleaned off her feet before allowing the sun to feed her inner fire enough to dry off her skin. Once her skin was dry, she picked up a comb with intricate flame patterns and began to work it through her now softened and cleaned hair. Eventually, she had no more knots left in her hair and began running her fingers through it to gently dry it with her firebending. After that, she stood and began tying her sarong into a style that hung like a pair of billowing shorts that fell to just above her knees, followed by wrapping her chest with the thick red fabric she normally used which she tied around her neck in a halter-style.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her attention then turned to her hair, which she quickly gathered the top half of into a topknot that she secured with the comb while the bottom half hung free to her waist. She then bent over to inspect her reflection in the water and nodded in approval. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfect,” She decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita then turned and gathered up her materials, pulled on her shoes and checked she had everything before leaping from the rock to the bank with some help from a blast of fire. From there she walked back upstream to the camp, where one of the guards, Dechen, sat near a bonfire. When he looked up and saw her, he stood from his spot and bowed respectfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back, Lady Sita,” He greeted, still bowed at the waist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gave a sweet smile in response. “Thank you, Dechen. Is Jeong Jeong away with Aang?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe he is, but he did tell me before he left that you should make use of the meditation circle in his tent,” Dechen explained. Sita hummed and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I shall do as he has advised, thank you again, Dechen.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She bowed to the guard, who straightened at the sight, before making her way over to her tent where she deposited her belongings. Once everything was back in its place, she moved over to Jeong Jeong’s tent and made herself at home in the circle of candles that sat in Jeong Jeong’s tent. A few moments later, Sita’s eyes fell closed and she lost herself to meditation for what must have been several hours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That is until she heard someone approach the tent and stop just outside it. Sita’s eyes opened instantly at the sound and narrowed while her lips pursed in slight irritation. With a soft groan, she forced herself to her feet and walked over to the flap that served as a door, which she pulled back to reveal Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened as he looked up at her, suddenly far more awkward than he had been minutes before. Sita’s brows furrowed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you lurking out there?” She wondered. Aang blushed a deep red. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m waiting for Jeong Jeong to return,” He explained. “I need to apologize.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita raised an eyebrow at his words. “What do you have to apologize for?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang avoided her eyes, suddenly finding the ground incredibly interesting. “I lost my patience,” His blush deepened. “I was tired of seeing you do all the exercises I couldn’t do yet and wanted to move faster to catch up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was silence for a few moments before Sita held out her hand. Aang looked at it and then up at her face, his own fraught with confusion. Sita rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m offering a helping hand here, don’t leave me hanging,” She advised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked back at the hand before reaching out and taking it. Sita grinned and yanked him to his feet with a surprising amount of ease before nodding in the direction of her peninsula. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, you’re going to meditate with me,” Aang frowned, “I find it’s easier to do tasks that aren’t entertaining with someone else compared to on your own,” She explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I going to have to feel the sun?” He wondered with a disappointed expression. Sita snickered to herself as she tugged him over to the peninsula. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but I have a better way for you to visualize it,” She paused. “Just don’t tell Jeong Jeong I said that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang smiled at that comment and allowed her to pull him onto the stretch of the peninsula before dropping into his stance, facing her as she mimicked him. “So, how do you visualize firebending?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita smiled and gestured up to the sun. “Have you noticed that when your skin is warmed by the sun it is easier to feel your heartbeat? To feel your body pumping energy to every corner of itself?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as Aang nodded slowly in response. “Well, I sort of like to think of the sun as a plant does. Imagine the sun is beaming energy to feed your body, and that the pulse beating within you is your inner fire being stoked by the sun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened and he felt himself beginning to grin at her. “Do you think that’ll be easier for me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded. “It helped me, and it might be easier for you than to think of the sun interacting with all of nature.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a nod, Aang adjusted himself to make sure his stance was solid before shutting his eyes and concentrating on the feeling of the sun beating on his skin. Sita watched him for a few moments until he developed a rhythm for his breathing, at which point she closed her own eyes and allowed herself to soak in the sunlight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As each second passed, Aang was astonished at how different it felt with Sita’s explanation. He could feel his body pulsing where the sun beaming down on it, and when he focused on the sensation he could feel the pulsation across the entirety of his body, even the areas shaded by the trees. And, the longer he concentrated on it the more he could pinpoint where the energy was flowing and follow its path through the entirety of himself. He let out a relaxed sigh as he continued to focus on the sensation, finally feeling incredibly relaxed for once since coming out of the iceberg. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang?” His eyes snapped open as Sita reached out to touch his shoulder while calling out his name. He blinked several times while she moved out of her stance. “Jeong Jeong just returned, if you’d like to talk to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched as he blinked again before jumping out of his stance and looking around. “Where did he go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed softly to herself. “He went to his tent, as he usually does when he’s at camp.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked over at her. “You know him really well, don't you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita hummed and stretched before nodding. “He’s been my teacher for a very long time, as you know,” She looked over at the tent. “I’d say we both know each other well, but he’s always been able to see the deepest part of someone without much difficulty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There were a few seconds of silence before Aang suddenly dipped into a bow. “Thank you for helping, by the way. It really made things clearer,” He complimented. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gave a small smile. “No problem at all, Aang,” She paused. “If you’d like, I’d be happy to meditate with you when we’re not training.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang grinned at her. “That’d be great!” He looked over at Jeong Jeong’s tent. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s probably a good idea,” Sita murmured. “I’m going to take a walk. I’ll be nearby if you or Jeong Jeong need anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was nothing else said between the two as Aang dashed off to Jeong Jeong’s tent while Sita turned and began making her way upstream before turning and making her way through the woods. Meanwhile, Aang slowly pushed open the flap and looked at Jeong Jeong, who stared right back at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought about what you said,” Aang took a deep breath, “I promise I'll be more patient.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong didn’t say anything for a second before walking towards and then past Aang. “We're going to work with fire now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened and he followed Jeong Jeong out of the tent with a burst of air. “Oh yeah!” He cheered. Jeong Jeong raised an eyebrow. Aang winced and forced himself to calm down. “I mean, let us begin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong hummed and led him back out his usual rock before turning and grabbing a leaf from a nearby bush. He held it up in one hand and ignited his thumb and forefinger on his other hand. With a quick hiss, he pinched the leaf and left a burning hole in the center. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Concentrate on the fire,” He ordered while passing the leaf to Aang, who took it with a frown. “I want you to keep the flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a guard sprinted over. “Master! There is trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong’s eyes widened. “Where is Sita?” He demanded. Aang frowned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She went on a walk in the woods. Why, what's going on?” He asked worriedly. Jeong Jeong sagged slightly with relief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Concentrate on your leaf!” He ordered before running off while Katara made her way over. Aang let out a frustrated sigh as she approached. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is the worst firebending instruction ever! All he does is leave me for hours to concentrate or breathe!” He whined. Katara sighed and moved to stand at the edge of the bank. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm sure there's a good reason,” She reminded him in an attempt to placate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang scowled. “But I'm ready to do so much more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara didn’t respond as Aang moved into his stance and took a deep breath, his eyes gazing out at the river and not on his leaf. She watched him silently as the leaf continued to smoke, and gasped as the leaf suddenly burned away to reveal a flame in Aang’s hand. Aang beamed at the sight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did it! I made fire!” He cheered. Katara’s brows furrowed worriedly and she took a step closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow,” She urged him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang, however, seemed to not have heard her. His veins felt as if they were thrumming like a humming beetle-bird’s wings, and his body had never felt such raw power before. He grinned down at his hands as he passed the flame between them. Behind him, Katara felt her body tense in fear as he suddenly caused his flame to flare up and expand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now that's some firebending!” He shouted delightedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara trembled slightly. “Aang, you'll hurt yourself!” She cried out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang fired off a blast into the open air and shivered at the euphoric feeling it induced before looking back down at the flame. “I wonder how Sita did that one trick,” He mused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara felt the blood drain from her face. Behind her, a figure rushed forward from the depths of the woods. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang held up his hands and split the flame into two before forcing them to wind around each other. The figure panted for breath as she struggled to reach them in time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gasped as Aang suddenly pushed his hands out, sending a ring of fire in every direction. Her hands came up to shield her face. She let out a scream of terror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, no!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a sudden flare of white flame that pushed Aang’s into the sky and away from Katara. Aang gasped in horror as Sita held her hands out, red and raw from having to catch and force his flame away. She let out a shout of pain as she stumbled away and fell onto her back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita!” Aang shouted fearfully. He jumped from his rock to the bank where Sita lay curled in on herself, a stunned Katara behind her. “I’m so sorry!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, Sokka joined them. “Katara! What happened? I heard you scream-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened as they landed on Sita and her burned hands as well as Aang’s guilty expression. Katara reached out and grabbed his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka, I’m fine, Sita jumped in front of me,” She stammered, wincing as Sokka’s eyes narrowed at Aang.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did you do!?” He shouted angrily. Sita’s eyes widened at the shout while Aang flinched away guiltily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm sorry! It was an accident!” Aang explained desperately. “I just wanted to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka lunged forward and tackled Aang to the ground, each of his wrists pinned under his hand. “I told you we shouldn't mess around with this! Look what you did!” He shook Aang. “You almost burned my sister! And, you burned Sita trying to do something too advanced!” Sokka looked up as Jeong Jeong ran over. “This is all your fault!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong didn’t reply immediately, choosing instead to take Sita’s hands in his and force her fingers to open and reveal the damage. Sokka and Katara looked over before gasping in shock while Jeong Jeong shut his eyes tightly and Sita whimpered in pain. Aang looked up a moment later and felt bile rise in his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one would have been able to tell that the burn was from a novice. Red and raw blisters coated Sita’s palms and fingers, forcing tears to leak from her eyes at the pain. The entire top layer of her skin had been burned away, leaving the flesh underneath to take a horrible blow. Sita let out a yelp as Jeong Jeong attempted to turn her hands and inspect them more carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, he looked up at Katara. “You are a waterbender, yes?” Katara nodded while Sita blinked back fresh tears. “Have you ever healed anyone before?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t even know you could heal with waterbending,” Katara confessed. Jeong Jeong cursed under his breath before shaking his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need you to try. Take Sita to the river and submerge her hands in it with your own, your instinct will guide you from there,” He advised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded and walked over to Sita, who stood up and turned to her. “Come on, let’s see if I can do anything about those burns,” She murmured soothingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita sniffled and looked over her shoulder at Aang, who looked close to tears. She forced a shaky smile onto her face. “It’s okay, Aang. It’s not your fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka watched as Aang’s face crumpled at her words and moved off of him just as Jeong Jeong turned back to them. “Now pack your things. You must leave immediately,” Jeong Jeong ordered with a glare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang heard Sokka run off and looked up desperately. “I'm sorry, I didn't... I'm sorry!” He cried out. When Sokka didn’t respond, he looked up at Jeong Jeong; who only stared at him disappointedly. A moment later, he was gone as well, leaving Aang alone at the camp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita let out a scream of pain as Katara forced her hands under the water and held them there. Tears seeped from her eyes no matter how hard she tried to make them stop, and before she knew it she was sobbing wildly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It hurts,” She wailed. “It hurts so badly, Katara.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Water Tribe girl winced at the cries and forced herself to take a deep breath to focus on her bending. If nothing else, she had to at least try to heal the girl who had saved her from the very same burns she was now suffering from. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’ll all be over soon,” Katara whispered under her breath, seeming to reassure herself as well as Sita as she felt an unfamiliar sensation wash over her hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened as she looked down to see a pale blue glow similar to Aang’s Avatar State glow covering her and Sita’s hands. To her relief, Sita’s cries began to quiet and her tears subsided as the glow brightened further. A moment later, it dissipated to reveal Sita’s hands had completely healed. Sita’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You did it,” She breathed out in shock as she pulled her hands from the water to reveal the pale and once again flawless skin. Sita wiggled her fingers and clenched her hands into fists before opening them again. “You actually healed them!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara sagged in relief and smiled at the Fire Nation girl. “Do they feel right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded emphatically. “It’s like they’re brand new,” She admitted. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara smiled at her before moving to sit next to her. "I think I owe you an apology," She admitted. "I haven't trusted you very much, despite all the help you seem to give to the camp, to Aang, and to me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's okay, I understand," Sita dusted herself off. "I imagine it would be hard to trust someone from my nation no matter what they were like when you first met them. And, I bet it's a million times harder when you're traveling with someone like Aang who needs to be protected no matter what."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded. "Yeah, it's hard," She inspected Sita carefully. "But you seem to be one of the good firebenders."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita laughed to herself. "That's good to know," She looked back up at Katara. "Thank you again for healing my hands, I really appreciate it."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, thank you, Katara.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two girls turned to see Jeong Jeong approaching, some of his tension seeming to have disappeared at the sight of Sita’s healed hands. He crouched down beside her and pulled her hands into his to inspect them once again. Once he deemed them to be fine he looked up at Sita’s face with clear disapproval.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should have known better than to jump in front of him,” He admonished her. “Better to redirect it from a distance than to get a burn like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita winced and looked at the ground. “I was worried it wouldn’t be enough,” She looked back up at Jeong Jeong. “He’s incredibly powerful, Jeong Jeong. Please do not give up on him because of this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong opened his mouth to reply when WHOOSH. Sita gasped as flames struck the surface of the river and leapt at her, Jeong Jeong and Katara. The three of them jumped away and looked further down the river to see three boats headed towards them. Katara looked over at the two firebenders, who quickly moved into an offensive stance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Run, Katara! Get Aang and Sokka and run as fast as you can,” Sita ordered, her eyes narrowed in a glare at the boats. Katara shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about you two?” She demanded. Jeong Jeong grabbed Katara’s arm and pushed her away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Run! You won’t have time if you linger any longer,” He urged her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With uncertainty in her eyes, Katara forced herself to turn and run back to camp despite every desire not to do so. Behind her, Sita looked over at Jeong Jeong, who looked back at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go alert the tribe to the danger, get as much of the camp packed up, and then we’ll move on,” He ordered. Sita nodded and fired a blast of fire at each of the three boats before sprinting away to where she knew Dechen and his companion Kei would be patrolling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gasped for air as she entered Jeong Jeong’s tent, where Aang sat in the semicircle of candles, his head in his hands. She took a step forward and opened her mouth, but Aang beat her to the punch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn't ready,” He whispered miserably. “I wouldn't listen, and Sita paid the price. I'm never going to firebend again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang didn’t react as Katara took a step toward him. “You'll have to eventually,” She pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara watched Aang shake his head. “No, never again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, it’s really okay. Sita is healed, and she already said she doesn’t blame you,” She explained. Aang whirled around to face her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s healed? How?” He demanded. Katara felt relief explode within her at him breaking out of his sulking. She reached out and grabbed his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'll explain later. But right now, we have to get out of here. Zhao and his soldiers are attacking!” She explained. Aang’s eyes widened and he leapt to his feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where?” He shouted. Katara pointed out of the tent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the river. They captured Jeong Jeong, and Sita was with him!” She added. Aang’s eyes narrowed and he strode over to the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to help him!” He decided as he stormed out and down the riverbank. Behind him, Katara stared at him worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s chest heaved as she ran back to Jeong Jeong, her pack of belongings on her back and her limbs shaking with fear and a desire to protect her teacher. When she arrived, there was a massive wall of fire that Jeong Jeong had formed to block their attackers. It was all for naught, however, as a man passed through the flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at you,” The man sneered as Jeong Jeong lowered the wall, allowing the man’s fellow soldiers to join him. “You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong shook his head disappointedly. “It is you who have embraced savagery, Zhao.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's Admiral Zhao, now,” The man replied arrogantly. His eyes then moved to land on Sita. “Well well well, it seems you’ve taken on another student. Tell me, how has she fared in the utter boredom that is your teaching style?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Better than you ever did,” Sita snarled as she moved closer, her body relaxing as she maintained the control over it she had been taught to maintain. Zhao’s eyes flickered with recognition as she moved closer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lady Sita.” The girl froze in her tracks. “I see your year gallivanting as a fugitive has done you wonders,” A lecherous smile spread across his features, “You’re more beautiful than I remember. Tell me, have your skills grown as much?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Zhao!” Jeong Jeong shouted with fury, “You might be an admiral, but you are no match for my student, or the Avatar. Do not try to fight them! You are no match!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The admiral scoffed. “I think I can handle two children, Jeong Jeong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched as her teacher shook his head. “I have never seen such raw power…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeong Jeong! Sita” Aang cried out as he approached, terror lancing through his chest as Zhao’s soldiers moved to encircle Sita and Jeong Jeong. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We'll see,” Zhao sneered. “Men! Take the deserter and his pretty little student.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita paled as the soldiers moved closer, and raised her hands as flames began to appear at her fingertips but soon Jeong Jeong clasped them in his. She looked up at him in shock while he looked between her and Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Avatar Aang!” Jeong Jeong shouted. The airbender stared at him. “Take Sita and run! Finish your teachings with her, our time together is up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang opened his mouth to respond, but Sita shook her head wildly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No! I’m not leaving you,” She screamed. Jeong Jeong moved to grab her shoulders and shake her firmly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You must, Sita! It isn’t safe for you to come with me anymore, and I have taught you everything I know. It is time for you to pass that on and grow your bending on your own,” He explained desperately. Sita shook her head again, tears brimming in her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can fight him, you know that! We can continue on together,” She begged desperately. Zhao smirked at the sight and took a step forward with his soldiers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh Sita, you know where you are supposed to be. The Fire Nation misses you terribly after all,” He reminded her with a dark glare. Sita tensed and looked up at Jeong Jeong, who had made his decision. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare!” She shrieked, but it was for nothing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeong Jeong wrapped his arm around her middle and threw her outside of the circle, where she landed a few feet away from Aang. A moment later, the air around Jeong Jeong ignited into a flaming sphere that concealed him from sight. Sita screamed for her teacher one last time, but when the flames dissipated he was gone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!” Zhao ordered with fury in his eyes before rounding on Sita and Aang, the former with tears leaking down her face. “Let's find out what my old master has taught the both of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened while Sita pushed herself up from the ground, grief fighting her for control over her emotions and bending. “You were Jeong Jeong's student?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zhao smirked. “Until I got bored,” His hands suddenly thrust forward, sending a large fireball at Aang. Sita snarled and threw her own flames forward, splitting the fireball in two while Aang dodged with a leap to the side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see he taught one of you how to duck and run like a coward and the other to block,” Zhao ridiculed the two teenagers in front of him. “But I doubt he showed you what a firebender is truly capable of!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita growled as Zhao fired yet another fireball at them, choosing instead to dodge rather than split it again. Aang gasped and rolled out of the way.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whoa! Wild shot!” He exclaimed. Zhao let out a roar of rage and clenched his fists tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'll show you wild!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened as two large jets of fire streamed from his fists and swept across some trees on the river bank. Aang dodged again, giving Sita room to fire off four blasts in quick succession. Zhao stumbled back and sneered at the girl while Aang turned to the on-fire foliage. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No self-control…” He whispered to himself, gasping as an idea occurred to him. Aang grinned and turned to Sita. “Stand back! I’ll handle this one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Sita could respond, Zhao let out another angry shout. “Stand and fight, Avatar!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang turned back to Zhao with a mocking smile. “Oh, were we fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened as Zhao’s body began to literally shimmer with heat and flames coated his fists. “I was…” He drawled as he quickly fired another fireball at Aang. Before she knew it, six more flew from his body, all of which missed his target. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, be careful!” She cried out as Aang dodged yet another one. He merely winked at her before looking over at Zhao once more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that all you got? Man, they'll make anyone an admiral these days!” Another fireball flew at him.  Aang beamed and cupped his hands over his mouth before shouting, “Ahoy!” He turned and wiggled his butt at Zhao, “I'm Admiral Zhao!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gasped and lunged forward, managing to cut another blast in half as Zhao fired just a tad faster than Aang predicted. The airbender jumped once more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko,” Aang remarked disappointedly. Zhao growled and fired another blast, forcing Aang to duck. “Sloppy. Very sloppy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked over at Sita, internally relieved to see she had listened to him for the most part and not intervened. Suddenly, a small shock of pain on his forearm erupted. He hissed and looked down to see he had burned himself on a stray fire from Zhao’s blast. The admiral grinned at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nowhere to run now, you little smart mouth!” He cried out, his voice seeming almost deranged as he stalked closer to Aang. The airbender, however, shook his head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You've lost this battle,” He remarked. Zhao scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!” Aang grinned at his words. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, but you have,” Sita’s eyes widened further as he gestured at the boats Zhao and his men had arrived in, all of which were now burning in the river. “Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zhao let out a roar before rounding on Sita, who quickly conjured three long streams of fire and forced them to wrap around Zhao in a fence. Aang gasped and quickly jumped from the boat to dash over to Sita. She looked over just as he wrapped his arms around her middle and jumped into the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have a nice walk home!” He teased as they soared over Zhao before landing in the river as Appa arrived with Sokka and Katara upon his back. Zhao let out an enraged roar while Sita let out a short shriek as they fell into the water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, come on! Let's go!” His eyes landed on Sita, “Is she coming with us?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Aang shouted back while helping Sita climb into the saddle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka looked between the two before shrugging and whipping the reins, sending Appa flying into the air. Sita gasped as they soared, her stomach jumping into her throat at the sensation while a stunned and euphoric smile appeared on her face. It disappeared, however, when she remembered who had left her behind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeong Jeong, he disappeared, didn’t he?” She murmured. Sokka looked over and nodded slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They all did,” He admitted. Sita blinked back tears and slowly pulled off her pack to set it next to Katara, Sokka, and Aang’s. As she did so, Katara looked over and gasped at the sight of Aang’s arm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, you're burned! Let me help you.” The three other teenagers watched as Katara bent some water out of her canteen, which shimmered and glowed as she maneuvered it onto Aang’s forearm. A moment later, she pulled away to reveal Aang’s arm was fully healed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that's good water,” Aang joked with a wink, causing Katara to roll her eyes fondly. Sokka, however, gaped at her in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When did you learn that?” He demanded. Katara rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Today, Sokka. How else do you think Sita’s hands returned to normal?” She sniped with a gesture to the firebender, who was watching them interact curiously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of,” Aang interjected, cutting Sokka off. “We need to talk about this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked up as Sokka and Katara looked over at her as well. “You’re right, we should,” She admitted. “I’m not sure Jeong Jeong was entirely thinking it through when he sent me off with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think he was,” Aang corrected her. “I think that he knew you would be able to help us somehow, outside of helping me learn to firebend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded. “Honestly, Sita, I can’t think of anyone else that we’d be okay with joining the group to teach Aang, and you have survival skills that some of us are desperately lacking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened at the compliments while Aang and Katara looked over at Sokka, who was staring at her intensely. Finally, he shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You defended my sister and Aang, and you seem pretty decent,” He paused. “I don’t see any issue with you joining either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang grinned and looked over at Sita again. “So? Are you ready to join us and maybe help me learn firebending?” His smile dropped slightly. “I know I’m very new to it and I was really reckless earlier, but I know I can do better than that,” His eyes turned pleading. “Please, Sita, I really think you belong here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a long moment of silence before Sita sighed and nodded. “I’ll do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang cheered wildly while Katara and Sokka each sent her small smiles. Sita returned them before staring Aang down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to go easy on you though,” She warned him. “And I’m not just going to help you,” She looked over at Katara. “I’d understand if you said no, but it would really help for you to learn how to wield your waterbending against a firebender.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara’s eyes widened. “You’d be willing to help me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Sokka as well,” Sita added. The boy in question raised an eyebrow. “With the right training, you could fight a firebender off, even though you aren’t a bender.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka and Katara shared a look before nodding. “We can look into that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita smiled at the three of them. “Then, I guess I’m officially part of the group.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang beamed. “Yep, you are!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so the now larger group of four flew away from Jeong Jeong’s campsite, their eyes on the North Pole and their fears of what struggles lay in their future somewhat mitigated by the arrival of their new member. And, somewhere deep in the woods, Jeong Jeong looked up at the sky and hoped that his student would find her way in the world.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Northern Air Temple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A day had passed since Aang, Katara, Sokka and their newest addition, Sita, had left Jeong Jeong’s camp and it was now ending with them landing in the middle of the woods to set up a camp. Sita slowly stood up from Appa’s saddle and stretched before jumping off the very fluffy bison and landing in a crouch on the grass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, what should I do?” She asked while turning to look up at the others. Katara and Sokka shared a look as they climbed down from Appa while Aang airbent the saddle off of the bison’s back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you could start a fire, that would be great,” Sokka suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded and set her pack down on the grass before turning and walking over to the trees to collect the sticks that lay on the surrounding ground. Behind her, Sokka began unloading the sleeping bags while Katara assembled their dinnerware and Aang brought the rest of the supplies out of the saddle. A few minutes, Sita walked back over with arms filled with wood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where do you want the fire?” She asked while walking back. Aang looked up and felt his jaw drop open at the sheer amount of wood she was carrying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“An-anywhere’s good,” He stammered. Sita hummed and walked over to a spot that didn’t seem too wet or too close to any trees. “Do you need help carrying that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita laughed softly in response and set down the pile before she carefully arranged the wood for the fire. “I’ve carried far heavier when moving Jeong Jeong’s camp,” She admitted. “You’d be surprised at how much those guys hate the heavy lifting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of Jeong Jeong,” Katara began as she poured some water into a pot, followed by rice, “How are you holding up? It must be hard to be away from him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched as Sita stood from the pile of branches and snapped her fingers, causing a flame to shoot from her fingertips and onto the wood. “It is. I met him pretty early on in running away, and then I stuck around for so long after that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was hard for us to leave our tribe,” Katara admitted after several seconds, finding it easier to talk to the girl after everything they had done for each other only yesterday. “For a long time, it was all we’d ever known.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita didn’t respond at first, her eyes locked on the flames as she attempted to make sure they wouldn’t get out of control. As she did so, Aang’s mind wandered until he couldn’t hold back the question that had been tickling at the back of his mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, Sita,” He began. The girl looked up at him. “When did you want to start my firebending lessons?” Aang asked tentatively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Sokka tensed at the mention of the lesson, unease still lingering after the very near miss they had encountered back at the camp. Sita, however, smiled in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not tonight,” She pointed up at the sky, where the last of the sun’s rays painted the sky various shades of pink, purple and indigo. “You don’t have enough control to try to create flames without direct sunlight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang frowned. “Is it hard to do that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded. “The sun is how firebenders get their energy, similarly to waterbenders with the moon,” Katara’s eyes widened at that, “I’ve practiced for a long time and can feel how breathing feeds my inner fire as opposed to the sun, which lets me do my bending at will. You, however, are still learning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, tomorrow then?” Aang suggested. Sita laughed softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That should work. Try to be up at sunrise,” She advised before looking over at Katara. “The fire is strong enough to cook now, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The waterbender nodded in thanks before bringing the pot of uncooked rice to the fire and allowing the heat to move around it. Sokka joined her a moment later with the leftover vegetables and began roasting them over the fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t mind if the food is mostly vegetarian, right?” He asked with a glance at Sita, who shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” She murmured. “As long as it’s something that won’t kill me, then we’ll be alright.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka hummed and continued cooking the vegetables while Sita grabbed her pack and began rummaging through it until she found a container filled with some dried leaves. She smiled and reached back into the pack to pull out a canteen of water as well as a teacup. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you drink tea?” Aang asked as he peered at the container. Sita nodded and poured some water into the cup before heating it with her hands. “What flavor is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s an herbal tea,” She explained. “I grew up drinking it, and I like to partake in it whenever I can.” Sita sprinkled a few of the leaves into the cup and watched as they steeped for a moment before looking up at the others. “So, how long do you guys typically stay in one place?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara shrugged. “It depends. Lately, we’ll only camp in one place for a day or two so Appa can rest between trips, but sometimes stuff gets in the way and we end up staying longer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like Zhao showing up?” Sita guessed. Sokka and Aang nodded. “Is there anyone else after you I should know about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Aang held up his fingers and began to count. “There’s Zhao, there’s the Fire Lord,” Sita’s grip around her cup tensed, “And his son is after me too, Prince Zuko.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Essentially the entire Fire Nation,” Sokka summarized while turning the vegetables to cook them evenly. “Is anyone actively chasing you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita shook her head no and then paused with a wince. “Before yesterday, no. However, now that Zhao knows I’m traveling with you he’ll probably add me to the agenda,” She took a sip of tea. “So will Zuko most likely.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you really burn someone that important?” Katara wondered. Sita nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and I have a massive target on my back because of it,” She looked over at Aang apologetically. “Sorry for that, by the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shrugged. “None of us are safe nowadays, not while the Fire Lord is waging his war,” He reminded her. Sita nodded in reply and took another gulp of tea. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And on that note,” Sokka interjected, “These vegetables are just about done. How’s the rice?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Katara pulled the lid off their rice cooker and peered inside. “Done, everyone pass me their bowl.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita, Aang, and Sokka all did as she bid and handed the bowls over, which she scooped some rice into before letting Sokka place some vegetables on top. A moment later, they all dug into their meals and remained silent for the most part. Eventually, they all finished their meals and brought their bowls to a nearby spring to clean out before returning to the campsite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“While you guys set up your sleeping bags, I’m going to go see if there’s anything nearby I can hunt.” She watched as Sokka moved to protest. “I’ll find small animals, ones we can eat quickly so that we don’t have to stay here to preserve the rest of it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka nodded in approval before a thought occurred to him. “If you can, see if you can find any bamboo shoots for Aang,” He suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gave a thumbs up and reached into her pack to pull out a short hunting knife. With a hum and a quick once over of herself, she then turned and made her way into the woods, her eyes peeled for anything smaller than a leopard squirrel and any bamboo shoots in the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Aang awoke a few minutes before sunrise to see Sita was already awake and-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you skinning an animal?” He questioned, his stomach twisting into knots as he watched her methodically remove the pelts from the small rabbits she had found and managed to catch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded. “I can’t imagine their fur will taste terribly good,” She pointed out. “Oh, I also found those.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked over as she pointed to a small bag, which he opened to reveal bamboo shoots and various other edible greens. His eyes widened and he looked back up at her with a smile. “Thanks, Sita!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hummed in response and removed the last of the pelt from the third rabbit before she laid them out and began removing their organs. Aang winced and turned away at the sound until it passed, signifying she had finished that step of preparation. He looked back over and saw she had gathered up the organs and was taking them away from the campsite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get into your stance!” Sita ordered over her shoulder as she started to dispose of the organs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and moved to the edge of the campsite where he wouldn’t be distracted by her prep or Katara and Sokka if they awoke anytime soon. A moment later, Sita returned and stuck the rabbits onto spears to let them drain. With another quick trip to wash her hands, she decided she was ready to join the young Avatar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your feet need to be wider,” She murmured as she approached. Aang opened his eyes and moved his feet farther apart. “Good. Now, hold your hands out in front of you and do your breathing exercises. This will train you to focus on your breathing impacting your energy until the sun rises.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her student didn’t reply vocally, choosing instead to nod before settling into a steady breathing pattern, which Sita followed as she too maneuvered herself into her stance. For a short while, as the sun climbed higher in the sky, the two of them were entirely silent aside from their breathing. This changed, however, when the sunlight hit the tips of Sita’s fingers and set them alight with her signature white flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes popped open and he stared at her with alarm. “Sita-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No talking,” She instructed. “I’m aware of the fire, Aang, you needn’t worry,” One of her eyes opened. “Do let me know if you suddenly catch fire, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Avatar nodded slowly before closing his own eyes and refocusing on the sensation of sunlight gliding over his skin and sending a pulsation of energy flowing through his body. Next to him, he could hear Sita continuing to breathe as well as the flickering of the flames she had created. He forced himself to block out the sound as much as possible and focus on the heat from the sun running across his skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Heat blossomed in his palms. Aang’s eyes opened and he gasped at the sight of two flames in his hands. He looked up at Sita frantically. “Sita, I made fire!” He whispered fearfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes opened slowly and she appraised the flames before reaching out and coaxing them into her own hands. “See? Nothing to worry about,” She assured him while allowing his flames to merge with her own. “Go back to your breathing, and try to focus on the energy staying inside you, not coming out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly and felt his heart rate slow at her calm demeanor as he closed his eyes and went back to his breathing. A moment later, however, he heard Sita move to stand and go behind him. He opened his eyes again just as her hands gripped the skin between his shoulders and neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re too tense,” She murmured, seemingly not noticing how Aang’s eyes widened and his cheeks darkened with a slight blush at the contact. Sita pressed her fingers into the muscles and began massaging them lightly. “If you tense up, you will trap the energy and it will have nowhere to go but out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She hummed as Aang slowly began to relax and his breathing deepened. “Much better. Keep doing that until the sun breaks over the trees.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded once and continued on while Sita returned to her original position and began doing full body stretches as opposed to breathing exercises. He quickly shut his eyes, not wanting to come off as a creep ogling her as her body bent in a myriad of directions. A short while later, he took a quick peek and saw that the sun had risen over the trees. Sita smiled at him as she straightened from bending to her right side and gestured for him to stand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are we going to do now?” He wondered. She jerked her head to the side and led him further into the campsite, but still a good distance away from Katara and Sokka, where the sun would hit them more clearly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to work on creating small flames,” Aang’s eyes widened, “On purpose, twenty times in a row. If you do it by accident, or if the flame is too big, it doesn’t count.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita then stopped and turned back to him. “Get back into your stance, but keep your eyes open, and focus on your breathing and the heat feeding the energy in your body.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang did as she bid and moved into his stance, his hands held out in front of him, with Sita mimicking him a moment later. She took a moment to appraise him before nodding in approval. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As you feel the heat, try to conduct a small piece of it out of your palm,” She instructed. A moment later, a white flame no taller than the needles that Katara used to sew up their clothes and no wider than her pointer finger appeared. “See? You want the flame to be about this size.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But how will I know how much energy to use?” Aang asked worriedly. Sita smiled at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trial and error, Aang. You need to feel how much energy you used for your first attempt and then go from there, shrinking and growing the amount of energy you use as needed,” She explained. Aang’s brow furrowed with anxiety. “Don’t worry, even if you accidentally make a really big flame I can get it under control. I’m close enough that it’ll be easy,” She assured him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly and stared down at his right palm while taking deep breaths. Sita watched him carefully as he concentrated on the pathways of his energy moving until he followed one to his palm and imagined pushing the energy out a little. His eyes widened as a flame the width of his palm and the height of a teacup appeared. He looked up at Sita. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Focus on the energy in your palm,” She advised calmly. “Now, imagine the air around your flame absorbing that energy and letting the energy leave your palm.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked back down at the flame and did as she bid, grinning when the flame shrunk down before disappearing completely. “I did it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita beamed at him. “Good job Aang! Now, try to make the flame smaller than that this time around and then extinguish it like you just did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang took a deep breath and focused on the energy flowing to his hand and coming out, and let out a breath of relief as the flame that appeared was skinnier in width and a little bit taller. He then extinguished the flame and repeated his action until he successfully formed twenty of those petite flames, at which point Sita clapped wildly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was perfect, Aang! You’re an incredibly fast learner,” She complimented with a smile. Aang grinned at her and joined her in leaving their stances just as Katara and Sokka awoke from their sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did Aang do?” Sokka wondered, his eyes almost stuck together with sleep, and his voice mixed with a yawn. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita laughed and ignited their campfire once again so they could prepare breakfast before replying. “He learned how to make a flame, control the size and extinguish it, all in one session,” She remarked with pride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka and Katara looked over at Aang with wide eyes. “Aang, is that true?” Katara asked, her mouth hanging open in amazement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded excitedly and looked over at Sita. “Can I show them?” He pleaded, fidgeting from one foot to the other in excitement. The two siblings looked over at the firebender, who nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take it slow,” She reminded him. Aang gave her a thumbs-up before moving into his stance and holding out his right hand. His friends watched him eagerly while his teacher studied his movements carefully, a smile appearing as he prepared himself. “Deep breaths.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka watched as Aang took a deep breath, and yelped as a flame erupted to life in the palm of his hand while Katara grinned at him. Aang smiled down at it and held it out to the siblings while Sita continued keeping an eye on him. A moment later, he exhaled and the flame shrunk down gradually before disappearing entirely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, that’s amazing!” Katara cheered, her arms coming up to hug him tightly. Aang smiled and returned the hug while Sita clapped again, a proud smile on her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I gotta hand it to you, Aang, that was pretty good,” Sokka admitted, a tentative smile appearing now that the fire was gone. He then looked over at Sita. “Did anything else happen while we were asleep?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened in realization and she pointed at the rabbits on the spears. “Yes! I prepared those this morning,” She explained. Sokka’s eyes widened. “They should be ready to cook now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finally! Meat!” Sokka cheered before running over to the rabbits to inspect her handiwork. “This is actually really well done, are you an avid hunter?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, but I picked it up when I was with Jeong Jeong,” She explained. “There wasn’t always a river available to get fish from, so he taught me how to wield a hunting knife.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka hummed appreciatively and brought the rabbits over to roast on the fire for a while, at which point Katara decided she would take Aang down to the nearby river to practice their waterbending. This left Sita with some time to run through her basic and intermediate sets, which she did far away from Sokka to compensate for his anxiety around her element. Finally, about an hour later since a breeze kept disrupting the flames, Sokka declared the rabbits were done and removed them from the flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita,” He called out. The girl stopped mid-motion and turned towards him. “Can you go get Aang and Katara? I’m going to start cooking some of these greens for Aang.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She flashed him a quick thumbs-up in reply, which he returned, before dashing off to the woods, where she could easily hear the voices of Aang and Katara and the splashing of water. Sita slowed down as she approached, and took a moment to watch the two of them practice a variety of moves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara lunged forward with a water whip, that Aang easily blocked with a tendril of water before he sent a wave at her ankles, taking advantage of her weakened stance and sending her flying into the water. Sita covered her mouth as she giggled softly while Aang and Katara burst into laughter. They then stood up and moved to continue, at which point Sita moved from the shadows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, Katara,” She called out. “Sokka just finished cooking the rabbit and now he’s preparing some greens for Aang if you're hungry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two benders nodded and waded out of the water to walk back to camp, jabbering about their bending all the while with a few comments from Sita peppered throughout the discussion. A moment later, they arrived at the campsite as Sokka began cutting up the rabbits and pushing the pieces of meat into bowls while doing the same with greens in a separate bowl for Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Sokka!” Aang praised as he grabbed his bowl and began munching while the others also grabbed their bowls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, this looks amazing,” Sita complimented as she studied the inside of the meat with a happy smile. She then reached into her bag and pulled out her teacup and herbs which she quickly added water to and heated up. “Are we going to pack up camp and keep going today or are we staying another night?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara shrugged as she took a couple of bites of rabbit and a gulp of water. “It depends. I wouldn’t mind staying another night so Aang can train some more,” She suggested. Sita nodded in agreement and looked over at Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you think Aang? Stay here and train a little more or move on?” She asked. Aang quickly swallowed his mouthful of greens and then passed a few over to Momo before replying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we should train more,” He admitted. “The more I can control my fire then the safer we are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other three nodded in agreement. “So, one more night here and then we’ll move on tomorrow at about midday,” Sokka decided. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that should be more than enough time given how quickly Aang is getting the hang of it,” Sita agreed. Sokka nodded and then went back to devouring his rabbit. “Speaking of,” She looked over at Aang. “We need to train at midday, it’s when the sun is at its highest point and it’ll make training easier for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and mentally prepared himself for a long day of training, especially when Sita explained he was also going to need to work on his flexibility if he wanted to have any chance at using his legs for his firebending. Katara then joined in, reminding him that they would be practicing at night, and forcing him to wonder if he was ever going to get a break. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He did not. The two girls raked him over the coals and only stopped for the night when it became clear that Aang wasn’t going to be able to see the water very well in his exhausted state. At that point, Sita went further up the river and washed up for the night while Katara, Aang, and Sokka went on a walk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A short while later, just as Sita returned to the campsite completely cleaned up, Aang and the two siblings burst into the clearing with a shout. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are more airbenders!” Aang cheered. Sita paused in her tracks and dropped her pack in shock. She whirled around to face him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Her eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open. “How did you find that out?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There was an old man telling stories at the campfire and he gave us directions to this place where people are walking on air,” Aang explained in a jumble of words. “They’re at the Northern Air Temple.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked over at Katara and Sokka, who both nodded in agreement. “So, I take it we’re heading over there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded eagerly. “If we leave now, we can make it there by mid-morning,” He looked over at Appa and began saddling him up while Sita watched him carefully. “Everyone, pack up your stuff.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Sokka shared a look with Sita before shrugging and grabbing their things, knowing better than to try and sway Aang from something he was really passionate about for any reason other than safety. Within fifteen minutes, the campsite was completely empty, and they were flying through the air towards the temple. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita sighed as she felt the wind card through her long hair as she leaned against the edge of the saddle and looked up at the fluffy clouds above her. They had flown all night, all of the early morning, and were quickly approaching mid-afternoon despite having left so early. Her lips pursed with frustration as her limbs ached to get out of the air and back on the ground where she could actually do something to occupy herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, though, a shout from Aang broke her frustration. “Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple!” He cheered. “This is where they had the championships for Sky Bison polo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara hummed and moved to sit near Sokka, who was a couple of feet away from Sita at the back of the saddle, whittling a pattern that no one could describe into a stick. “Do you think we'll really find airbenders?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka looked up with a raised eyebrow. “You want me to be like you, or totally honest?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita snickered while Katara crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him harshly. “Are you saying I'm a liar?” She demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her glare sharpened as Sokka shrugged in response and concentrated on the stick he was carving rather than her expression. “I'm saying you're an optimist. Same thing, basically,” He gestured at Sita, “Besides, Sita’s got the right idea. Just chill and enjoy the ride until we can land.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara scoffed and looked over at Sita, who held up her hands in surrender. “Don’t get me involved in this, I’m just going along with whatever the plan is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, guys, look at this!” Aang shouted, his hand releasing the reins for a moment to point at the mountain beneath them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita hummed and moved to look, her jaw dropping a moment later. Beneath them, sitting atop the mountain, was a beautiful expanse of temples, gardens, and intricate stairways and structures that were simply indescribable to the young firebender. She looked over at Aang, her lips curving into an astounded smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is beautiful, Aang,” She called out, earning a bright grin from Aang in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their attention was diverted a moment later, however, by several floating specks surrounding the temple. Katara gasped while Sita and Sokka frowned and Aang leaned forward to get a better look. The specks turned out to not be specks, but rather people drifting through the air on contraptions that looked like modified kites. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They really are airbenders!” Katara cheered, her hands coming up and above her head in victory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang, however, couldn’t disagree more with that statement. His lips morphed from the bright smile into a slightly disgusted scowl. “No, they're not.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka raised an eyebrow while Sita studied the people below with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean "they're not"? Those guys are flying!” He pointed out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shook his head. “Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move, they're not airbending.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does that matter?” Katara wondered. “They’re still flying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita rolled her eyes. “Someone can take a shot of sake and then spit it into the path of a flame and ‘breath fire’, but that doesn’t make them a firebender,” She snapped, taking Aang’s side in this one. “True bending, whether it be with air, water, earth or fire, is an art form that cannot truly be attained by those who are not born with it or somehow magically gifted it by the spirits.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara opened her mouth to argue, but Aang cut her off. “Those people have no spirit,” He muttered bitterly. “They aren’t connected to the air the way my people were.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once again, Katara attempted to argue their statements but was unable to as Sokka suddenly forced her down to lay on her stomach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look out!” He shouted just as one of the gliders flew above them with a whoosh of air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the air was clear, Sita popped up with a glare and snarled at the pilot, a young man in a chair that had a glider attached to the top and an elongated bottom to hold his legs, which were bound together by wraps. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Watch where you’re going, you bleeding hog monkey!” She screeched, her fist coming up to shake at the man, who only laughed and continued gliding. Her shoulder shook with anger and she looked over at Aang, who was similarly irritated by the man. “Show him how it’s done, Aang. We’ll land Appa for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang smirked at his teacher and nodded while grabbing his own glider, which opened with a soft thwip. He quickly got into position, his hands and feet knowing exactly where to go, and before he knew it he was flying through the air, chasing the boy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita grinned at the sight before jumping across the saddle and gently getting onto Appa’s head while taking the reins. Katara, however, continued to scowl at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you really believe that, Sita?” She eventually demanded. “That guy seemed pretty spirited, how is that not enough?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched as Sita tensed and looked over at her. “Katara, I know you don’t know very much about how sacred bending is,” She paused, “Or at least how sacred it used to be, but it’s incredibly important to understand that.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka shared a look with Katara and leaned forward to hear the firebender more clearly over the roar of the wind passing them by. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The bending abilities each nation has stemmed from a rich history and culture, and to subvert that by claiming some pieces of it and not the rest is a horrible insult,” Sita adjusted her grip on the reins. “Airbending isn’t just manipulating air, it’s also a deeply spiritual form of bending that connected the monks to the spirit world. By taking the gliding aspect and nothing else, they’ve completely insulted the culture behind it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How could you possibly-” Katara began, only for Sita to cut her off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did a lot of reading,” Sita’s eyes darkened as memories flashed across her mind. “My old job allowed me access to places most people couldn’t get to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Back in the Fire Nation?” Sokka questioned. Sita nodded slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Now, back to what I was saying,” She kept her eyes peeled for a place to land as she spoke. “Firebending, waterbending, and earthbending all have their own backgrounds, ones that benders learn about as they grow through their teachings. If you want to claim it as your own, claim the entirety of it or else it means nothing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka and Katara didn’t exactly know what to say in response, and Sita didn’t blame them. She had been fortunate to learn a rich cultural history of firebending, especially while on her travels with Jeong Jeong, while the two siblings had never had that opportunity from what she could deduce. With a sigh, she shook her head and refocused on finding a place to land, which came with relative ease, and within minutes she was back on solid ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang, however, was just the opposite and continued his aerial duel with the reckless glider from before in the skies above the temple. The two of them cut through the air with loops, spirals, and stretches of gliding that so far had been equal in talent and prowess in comparison. What that man didn’t know, however, was that Aang wasn’t limited to his glider. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a smirk, he looked over at the man and told him as such before turning and shooting towards the side of the temple, where he abandoned his glider to fly on its own while he began to sprint on the side of the building. In the corner of his eye, he could see the man gaping at him in shock and felt a shot of pride spike him in the chest. Then, as a finishing touch, simply because he couldn’t resist, Aang conjured a sphere of air beneath his feet and began to streak across the temple wall with the speed of wind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go Aang!” He looked down and beamed at the sight of Sita cheering for him while the other gliders seemed to be cheering for the other man. A moment later, he forced the sphere to dissipate and leaped back to his glider, astonishing the man in his own glider. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, I don't think I can do that,” He admitted before grinning, “But here's a good one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang raised an eyebrow in response and watched him ascend further into the sky before a loud pop was heard. He frowned and watched as a stream of smoke shot from the back of the man’s glider, smoke that gradually formed a shape as the man twisted and turned his glider in the air. Eventually, the man cut the smoke and revealed a design… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of Aang’s annoyed expression in the sky. The Avatar clenched his hands into fists around his glider and forced himself to land next to Sita, Katara and Sokka before he sent an air blast at the man. A moment later, the man joined them on the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you think?” He asked, his eyes sparkling behind the goggles he was wearing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita glared at him while Aang ignored him and looked up at the drawing. “It’s alright,” He started, only to swing out his glider and send a crescent of air flying upwards, cutting through the drawing with ease. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gaped at his rudeness while Sokka and Sita burst into giggles and Aang winked at the other man, who gaped at him in shock. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you're a real airbender. You must be the Avatar!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, such amazon deduction skills,” Sita drawled under her breath, earning a chuckle from Sokka. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's amazing! I-I've heard stories about you!” The man continued. “My name’s Teo, what's yours?” He asked while offering a hand to shake. Aang stared at it for a moment before taking it in his and shaking it once. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you, Teo. My name is Aang.” The two of them released each other while Sokka walked over to inspect the chair Teo was sitting in with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow! This glider chair is incredible!” He complimented. Teo grinned at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed,” He admitted with a gesture to the building. “Come on, we’ll find him somewhere in here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked over at Sita and Katara, who both nodded before walking over to join them. A moment later, the five of them walked across the stone balcony to the entrance to the temples, where they gasped at the sight within. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Where there had once been pristine murals, there were now mutilated designs etched into the walls, faded by time and punctured by pipes and machinery. Wheels turned and metal groaned, filling the temple with discordant sounds where the gentle melody of wind chimes would once echo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang felt his grip on his glider go limp, the wood dropping to the stone floor with a clatter. Beside him, Sita quickly knelt down to pick it up in an effort to distract herself from the sight. Sokka, however, was filled with wonder rather than horror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow!” He shouted excitedly while running over to the machines to inspect them carefully. Teo smiled and moved to follow him with Katara while Sita and Aang continued to stare at the ruins of the temple in front of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, my dad is the mastermind behind this whole place. Everything's powered by hot air,” Teo explained, not noticing Aang’s stricken expression. He turned and pointed at a group of women standing on a platform, which was suddenly propelled upwards by a current of hot air. “It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift while we're gliding.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked up at Aang sadly. “Aang-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This place is unbelievable,” He muttered monotonously, his eyes moving to stare at the floor. Teo turned and grinned at them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it's great, isn't it?” He asked. Sita and Aang shook their heads slowly in response. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, just unbelievable,” Aang mumbled before turning and walking away with Sita behind him, still holding his gliders. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara winced and rested a hand on Teo’s shoulder sympathetically. “Aang used to come here a long time ago,” She explained, “I think he's a little shocked it's so... different.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So better!” Sokka interjected, earning a glare from Sita. Aang, however, ignored it and stopped in front of another mural with pipes puncturing it in multiple places. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel Sita still standing next to him, and looked over at her as she too stared at the mural. “This is supposed to be the history of my people,” He raised a hand to point at a portion of the mural, “From the beginning, where we learned from the sky bison,” His hand moved to point further down, “Right down to just before everything happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded slowly, her body beginning to shake with rage. “They’ve mutilated it,” She breathed out, her hand coming up to rest on his shoulder. “Completely.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and turned away from the sight. “Yet another thing I’ll have to fix as the Avatar,” He promised himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita stared at him as he walked away and looked over at the mural one last time before joining him. The next place he paused at was a fountain with an air bison statue on it, filled with filthy water tinted green. Aang looked at it squeamishly for a moment before turning up to look at the sky bison, which stared back before erupting black smoke from its mouth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The both of them gagged at the sight and looked away, every inch of this place beginning to disgust them in indescribable ways. Katara sighed and walked over to put a hand on Aang’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm sure some parts of the temple are still the same,” She chimed hopefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang took a deep and shuddering breath while nodding before turning and walking out, across a bridge, and to an open rotunda with statues bordering it. Behind him, Sita, Katara, Sokka, and Teo followed until they stood in the center of the room. He let out a soft breath of relief as he stared at the untouched room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's nice to see that at least one part of the temple that isn't ruined,” He murmured. Sita opened her mouth to agree when a sudden rumble caused her to frown. The two of them turned to a statue of a monk airbending in confusion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look out!” A voice called just as another rumble echoed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened and she quickly pushed Aang to the floor while a large boulder smashed through the statue from behind, sending rubble flying across the floor. Dust floated in the air as the statue continued to crumble, and before they knew it six men were standing where the statue once was. Aang snarled and leaped to his feet, Sita joining him in his anger as one man in particular strode forward with a frown. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the doodle? Don't you know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse!” He explained in a ramble. Sita’s eyes flared and she felt her inner fire itching just beneath her skin, aching to lash out at this man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang, however, had no such control at that moment. “Do you know what you did!?” He screamed, his hand coming up to grab the man’s robes and pull his face down till they were eye to eye. “You just destroyed something sacred! For a stupid bathhouse!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I say! Unhand me, young man,” The older man ordered. “People around here are starting to stink and I need to continue construction, now let me go!” Aang’s grip tightened as the man began to fidget. He stopped, however, when Sita piped up from the side.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why should he?” She demanded. “You have completely and utterly mangled this temple, this sacred place of worship. How could you possibly defend yourself?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded in agreement and shoved the man to the floor before turning to face the crane. “This whole place stinks!” He cried out before bringing his glider down and sending a massive stroke of air cutting across the room to the crane, which exploded before tumbling to the bottom of the mountain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man and Teo gasped in horror and rushed forward, but Aang held out his glider to stop them. “This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it this way!” He twisted and thrust his glider up to rest just beneath the older man’s chin, a not so subtle threat. “I've seen it when the monks were here! I know what it's supposed to be like!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched as Katara moved forward to intervene and held out her arm. “Leave him be,” She ordered. Katara gaped at her like a fish. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s going to get so angry that he’ll hurt them,” She whispered furiously. Sota rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have some faith in him, and let him confront the man who has almost single-handedly wiped out part of the evidence of an entire civilization,” She snapped. “His civilization, to be precise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang glared up at the man, who stared at him in amazement. “The monks? But,” He appraised him for a moment, “you're sixteen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Teo chose that moment to intervene, seeing Aang was only getting angrier. “Dad, he's the Avatar. He used to come here a hundred years ago.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father flinched as Aang jerked the staff upwards, jabbing him lightly. “What are you doing? Who said you could be here?” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Teo’s father slowly pulled away, which Aang allowed solely because Sita had taken a position just behind the man, leaving him nowhere to run. The man swallowed and looked at the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A long time ago,” He began, “but not a hundred years, my people became refugees after a terrible flood.” He gestured over at Teo. “My infant son, Teo, was badly hurt and lost his mother,” He sniffled, “I needed somewhere to rebuild and I stumbled across this place. Couldn't believe it! Everywhere! Pictures of flying people! But empty,” He gestured at the entire mountain, “nobody home. Then, I came across these fan-like contraptions!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s muscles felt like rope as his entire body seized with fury. “Our gliders,” He hissed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man nodded excitedly. “Yes! Little, light flying machines! They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone will be on equal ground! So to speak. We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here. And, after all, isn't that what nature does?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang opened his mouth to respond, but Sita beat him to the punch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You desecrated sacred ground,” Her voice sounded rough like gravel as her body shook. Aang’s eyes widened and the others looked over with worried expressions, “And robbed the tomb of an entire nation,” Flames erupted around her hands. “For fucking gliders?!” She screamed, fury shining in her hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Teo and his father jumped away fearfully. “A firebender,” They choked out, terror enveloping them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita took a step forward, her flames climbing her arms. “You are many things,” She snarled, “Grave robbers, invaders, vile human beings, make no mistake. You are not, however, an improvement. You are a stain upon this temple.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara glared at her. “They had nowhere else to go-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wrong,” This time Aang spoke up. “They could have gone to another town or re-established their settlement elsewhere. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>chose</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stay here. To destroy my people’s memory,” His eyes shone with angry tears. “And I cannot accept that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, what are you saying?” Sokka wondered quietly. The airbender shut his eyes tightly before rounding on the man and his son, who were still focused on the enraged firebender. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m saying they need to leave,” He stated coldly. Teo and his father gaped at him. “As the last airbender, the only one with a right to these temples, I am ordering you all to leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, don’t send them away just because of this,” Katara pleaded. “They’ve made a life here, they can’t just abandon it all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They can, and they will,” Aang spat, his eyes still locked on Teo and his father. “I will not stand for them continuing to desecrate this place,” He looked over at Sita, “You were right. They’re a stain on it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s fire disappeared as she forced herself to calm down, the knowledge that these people would be removed soothing her. Katara, however, was the opposite. She rounded on Sita. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you even getting involved?! This isn’t your temple, you have no right to comment on what they’ve done-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Neither do you,” Sita snapped. “And yet here we are, with one of us playing devil’s advocate for a group who truly doesn’t deserve it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s calm down,” Sokka decided, moving to stand between the two girls with his hands out. “The both of you have good points, but in the end, it is Aang’s decision and it’s clear he already made it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita flashed Katara a smirk while Aang nodded in agreement. “Start packing,” He ordered Teo and his father, “I want you all out of here by the end of the week.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Avatar Aang, please,” The man begged. “We’ll have to walk over ten miles to get to the nearest town.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And my civilization will be left alone,” Aang interjected. “That is what I care about here,” He took a deep breath. “Had you been able to live here without destroying it, possibly beyond repair, then I would not have had an issue with your presence.” He looked over at the destroyed statue. “But instead you took a wrecking ball to sacred ground, and I cannot allow it to continue.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neither Teo nor his father knew what to say in their defense, nor did they get the chance as Aang then looked over at his friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am going to search for any area of the temple that might have been spared,” He murmured. “You can either come with me or help them get ready to leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Sokka stared at him before moving to Teo’s side while Sita moved to Aang’s. The Avatar nodded in response before striding out of the rotunda. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched Aang carefully as they made their way down the hallways, occasionally stopping to inspect a mural or open a door to see if the room behind it was untouched. So far, they had found a few libraries that were left alone, which brought Aang extraordinary amounts of relief, but the sheer damage done to the rest of the temple put an intense damper on any joy they felt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why did you go against them?” He suddenly asked her, turning to stare at her as he spoke with grey eyes filled with misery and a defeated posture. “Your position wasn’t very far off from theirs after you ran from the Fire Nation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Sita moved to stand right in front of him. “Unlike many people in the Fire Nation, I grew up being taught to respect each nation,” She gestured at the almost entirely destroyed mural on the wall beside him. “And seeing this makes me want to vomit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly and turned to keep walking, with Sita walking next to him as opposed to slightly behind him. “Who taught you that? To respect each nation.” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita hummed. “A girl named Diwata,” She murmured. “She helped to raise me when I was a kid and helped me in my old job when I was starting out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did she run away too?” He asked. Sita shook her head and followed Aang around a corner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, she passed away when I was fourteen,” She replied. “We were hit with a bout of pox, and she didn’t survive.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stared at her in shock. “I’m so sorry,” He quickly apologized, regret filling his body at having asked the question in the first place. Sita, however, shrugged and patted his shoulder lightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, you’re allowed to ask questions,” She assured him. “Just keep in mind that I might not answer all of them in the future.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and started to say something else when a large seal on a door caught his eye. He turned and gasped when he realized what it was before sprinting over with Sita running just behind him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We found it,” He breathed out as he came to a stop in front of a large door with the seal of the airbenders on it, one that could only be opened with airbending. “There’s no way they could have touched this room!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you going to open it to make sure?” Sita asked. Aang looked over at her. “I’m just saying, with how imaginative Teo’s father is, the idea of being able to trick the seal is not that far out there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His heart sunk at the truth behind her words, and with a slow nod he moved away from the door and held up his glider. “Stand back, this could slam you into the nearest wall,” He warned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded and moved to stand behind him, at which point Aang quickly launched into a series of airbending moves that sent huge blasts of air into the holes in the seal, forcing the door to open. She waited a moment later before walking over to Aang, who stared at the now slightly open door with trepidation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take your time,” She murmured. “I’ll stay out here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened and Sita laughed softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you’d appreciate a moment to yourself, especially if it is untouched,” She explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang blinked several times before slowly reaching out and pulling Sita into a hug. Sita’s eyes widened at the gesture, but she raised her arms up and hugged him back nevertheless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” He muttered before pulling away, an awkward expression on his face. “Sorry if the hug was too much,” He stammered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita rolled her eyes and put her hands on his shoulders to turn and push him in the direction of the room. “Don’t worry about it. Now, go!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang let out a soft laugh before nodding and making his way inside, where the laugh died on his lips like a leaf dropped into poison. His muscles went limp, he felt his knees collide with the floor. His eyes opened and shut as if they could banish the sight within the room by doing so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Red surrounded him. Red the color of blood and embossed with flame-shaped insignias that inflicted more pain than he thought was possible for a symbol. His eyes slid over the myriad of weapons and contraptions, all bearing the seal of the Fire Nation. Aang felt his hands clench into fists, and could feel his own inner fire thrashing within him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang!” His head snapped out as Sita’s voice echoed from outside the room. He heard a whoosh of flames and a startled shout from two men. “Aang!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He immediately stood and rushed out of the room to see Teo and his father standing there, blocked by Sita’s firebending, looking confused and terrified, respectively. Aang’s eyes narrowed into a glare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You're making weapons for the Fire Nation!” He snapped, pointing his staff at Teo’s dad. At that moment, Sokka and Katara ran around the corner before stopping in their tracks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You make weapons for the Fire Nation?!” Sokka demanded, storming over to the two refugees. Teo looked at his father, shocked, while Sita dropped her fire and went to peer into the room, where she felt anger resurge within her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Explain all this! Now!” Teo ordered furiously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father looked between all of them as Katara and Sokka also looked inside, the sight filling them with revulsion. Finally, Teo’s father looked at the ground and began his explanation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement,” He began. His eyes slid away from the ground to his son, “You were too young to remember this, Teo. They were going to destroy everything! Burn it to the ground!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang stared at him, his nails now digging into his palms as he listened to the man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us! They asked what I had to offer. I offered... my services,” He gestured to the pipes and contraptions, “I became their Mechanist.” He stared at Teo pleadingly. “You must understand. I did this for you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are they coming for another order?” Sita questioned, seething, as she took a step closer to the Mechanist. He nodded slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, very soon,” He admitted. Sita took a deep breath and looked at Aang, Katara, and Sokka. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have to make a plan to stop them,” She stated. Aang nodded. “Any ideas?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka frowned. “What does the Fire nation use as transport on land?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mechanist raised his hand. “They use tanks, it makes them able to climb a mountain as steep as this one,” He explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka cursed under his breath while Aang tried to think of anything that might work. Finally, Sokka snapped his fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What substances are corrosive to the metal?” He asked quickly. The Mechanist stared at him. “If we can ruin the tanks, they can’t make any land-based assaults, and firebenders can’t fly up the mountain.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as they don’t have the balloons,” Sita pointed out with a pointed glance at the Mechanist, who sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They don’t have a balloon,” He admitted. “But the tanks are made of an incredibly impervious metal. The only way to disable them would be to completely ruin the tracks and wheels.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked over at Aang and grinned. “Well, good thing we’ve got two firebenders who can easily weld those together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes widened. “Are you sure it’ll work?” He checked. Sita looked over and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The balloon will be helpful though,” She decided. “Figure out how to get it working so we can fly over them with their insignia, that way they won’t attack us and we’ll be able to get a head start on attacking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The four travelers looked over at the Mechanist. “You’ll be helping Sokka,” Aang decided. “As a way to repay me and my people for what you’ve done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Teo watched his father consider all the options before slowly nodding, defeated. “I’ll do my best,” He agreed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang then turned to Sita. “I think I'm going to need a quick lesson on fire blasts,” He admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita grinned. “You’ll love them,” She stretched really quickly and then grabbed his hands. “But we need to go outside so you don’t accidentally hit the building.” She looked back over at the others. “Let us know when you’re ready, and then we’ll wait until they start their approach.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara and Sokka nodded along with Teo and the Mechanist before the firebender and the Avatar ran off, hoping to get out to the cliffs to practice before the Fire Nation soldiers arrived.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Sita and Aang each took a deep breath and steeled their nerves as they stepped into the balloon an hour later at dusk, glad that Sokka and the Mechanist had figured out how to operate it but nervous nonetheless. Behind them, on the ground, Katara and Sokka remained with the others to find a way to fight off any tanks that cleared the mountain before Aang and Sita could get to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay safe up there, alright?” Sokka ordered, worry filling his eyes as Sita began to feed some fire into the cylinder at the center of the basket. Aang smiled and flashed him a thumbs up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry Sokka,” He looked over at Sita, who smiled back, “They won’t see us coming”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be waiting for you when you get back,” Katara promised. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang and Sita nodded before the latter fed another blast of fire into the cylinder, sending them up into the air. Within minutes, their friends were out of earshot and they began to peer out of the balloon at the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, remember the plan?” Sita asked while holding the flame at a constant temperature so they wouldn’t rise or fall too much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep, wait until we spot the tanks, then I go down and eliminate as many as I can while you keep the balloon within reach,” Aang recited. “Then we swap so I can get a break, and repeat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded once and looked over the edge. “It’s so weird,” She suddenly muttered. “I never thought I would actively fight against these guys in a million years.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang peered at her. “Does it bother you?” He asked. Sita thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. Not after everything they’ve done over the years,” She admitted. Aang nodded slowly and looked out at the ground once more before gasping. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I see them!” He whispered. Sita gave a thumbs up and began to lower the strength of the flame. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whenever you’re ready, jump,” She ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and stretched before climbing to crouch on the edge of the basket, waiting for exactly the right moment. Then, just as they reached the second to last tank in the formation, Aang jumped. Sita watched as he fell to the ground, only looking back at the balloon when she saw him land safely and began following the tanks, taking care to stay in their blindspots. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the back of her mind, she was glad they had decided to do this before the leader arrived to see the new inventions. They wouldn’t be looking for the balloon or expecting an attack, they didn’t even know Aang was there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Aang quickly approached the last tank in the troop, his hands hooking on a loop outside meant for climbing inside the tank so he could hold himself steady. Once he was secure, he bent to the side and focused as much energy into his hand as he could, knowing he had only a small amount of daylight left to use as fuel for his fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>WHOOSH. He grinned a moment later, watching as a stream of fire erupted from his palm and coated the track as well as the wheels in an orange glow that turned white the longer he held it in place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, melt,” He muttered to himself as the metal began to soften. Finally, a short while later, the track collapsed and fused to the wheel, prompting Aang to stop his fire. “Perfect.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And it was. The tank immediately began to malfunction, with only one side of the wheels working and turned off course within seconds. Aang let out a breath of relief and jumped off the tank, taking care to hide in the trees as he moved on to the next one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Four more tanks went down without an issue, all swerving off course and unable to right themselves with only one set of wheels. It was when Aang reached his sixth tank, however, that a problem arose. He looked up as a sudden bang echoed from closer to the mountain and gaped as the tanks began shooting hooks out the front to help them climb the mountains. Above him, in the balloon, Sita’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked back down. “Get back up here!” She ordered. “We need to take those tanks out before they climb to the top.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and forced a blast of air to propel him up and into the balloon, where he quickly grabbed the steering rope from Sita’s other hand and began using it to guide them back to the temple. Meanwhile, Sita was eyeing the other tanks below them critically. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold the current course,” She suddenly ordered, her free extending down to aim her palm at the tanks. Aang’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, what are you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s palm suddenly blasted fire from the skin, sending a precise stream of flames down from the balloon to the cannon atop the tank where the hooks were located. Aang watched in awe, noting how her hair swirled around her in the breeze created by the sheer power from the flames. A moment later, the flame ceased and Sita shook her hand as if she had a writing cramp. Aang looked over and gaped as he took in the sight of the completely melted cannons. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’ll work too for those,” She decided with a wink in Aang’s direction. “At least until we take care of the more important ones currently climbing the mountain.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded silently and watched as she pumped more fire into the balloon’s fuel cylinder before taking aim on the next two tanks, this time using both hands to attack from above. Before they knew it, those two were rendered incapacitated as well, which left them with one more to deal with before the ones climbing the mountain. Sita grinned at that particular realization, and before Aang knew it she had both hands aimed at its cannons, turning the metal to a malleable mess in seconds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t that dangerous for the people inside?” He wondered. Sita hummed and shook her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re not idiots, there is most certainly some sort of cooling element to keep them from being roasted alive in attacks with firepower,” She explained. “The cannons are also so extended out from the main structure that I’m not affecting the capsule.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang gave her a thumbs up and gave an experimental blast of fire to the cylinder, watching as they climbed through the air until they were above the initial platform. They bided their time at that point, knowing there was very little room for error when it came to landing the balloon and waited until they were almost on top of it before Sita sucked all of the fire out of the cylinder and expelled it in a fire blast out the side. The balloon then fell back to Earth, sending them careening into the ground with an audible ‘oof’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you get all of them?” Sokka demanded as they helped the two benders up. Sita shook her head no. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are three coming up the mountain right now,” She explained. “We took out the cannons on the others though, and Aang eliminated several with the original plan anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka nodded in understanding and turned to Katara. “Go with Sita and Aang, we’re going to try to get as many of the people somewhere safe,” He explained with a gesture to himself, Teo and the Mechanist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded and ran after Sita and Aang as they made their way over to the cliffside, where they could make out the approximate locations of the tanks. With matching frowns, the three of them crouched on the edge, trying to avoid being spotted by the drivers behind the small windows the tanks possessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, take out the wheels first,” Sita ordered. “Then take out the cannons, and then the hook. If you take out the hook first, they’ll probably have a backup one.” She then turned to Katara. “Katara, I need you to try to freeze the metal and make it as brittle as possible, then Aang can hit it with an air blast and it’ll snap.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Avatar and the waterbender nodded in understanding before they all took a step back, a deep breath, and then a running start before leaping off the cliff. Wind rushed past their ears as they plummeted, each of them reaching out for their chosen target. Finally, with a loud thud, the three of them each landed on a tank and began their attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita and Aang simultaneously conjured a flame in their hands while Katara held her hands over the metal tracks, focusing on the that had gotten on the metal when they’d gone through the snow on the ground. With a crackle, the water quickly re-froze and leeched the heat from the metal, bringing a smile to Katara’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Flames suddenly coated the tracks of the other two tanks, fusing the metal with that of the wheels in a blast of light and heat. Aang took deep breaths as he continued, wincing as he felt his energy dwindling while the sun disappeared behind the mountains. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ksh. His eyes widened as his flames suddenly stopped, leaving him with ruined wheels and tracks, but nothing to attack the cannon or the hook with. He looked over at Sita. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m all out of fire!” He shouted. Sita’s eyes widened as she melted the cannon within an inch of its life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” She cursed under her breath before looking up at Aang, “Okay, let me finish this one, and then I’ll jump to yours!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and watched as she scrambled over to the chain that connected the tank to the hook and began to press a flame into the metal, relief filling her when it succumbed to the heat with little to no resistance. Within seconds, she heard the metal snap, sending the tank plummeting to the ground below. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And her as well. Sita’s eyes widened as she felt her body drop through the air, terror piercing her heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang!” She screamed, her limbs flailing in the air as she continued falling. The Avatar gasped and reached out as she fell past him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita!” He called out, leaping forward in a desperate attempt to grab her wrist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>THUMP. Sita yelped as her body slammed into the side of the tank, her hand firmly within someone’s grip. She blinked as she looked up, and grinned at the sight of Aang’s hand gripping hers tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s chest heaved as he fought the terror that threatened to stop his breathing. He swallowed and began tugging Sita up until she was atop the tank, only relaxing once she was firmly planted there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Never, ever, do that again,” He warned her. Sita laughed softly, in disbelief at what had just happened, and patted Aang on the back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not planning on it,” She admitted before standing and stretching. “Go help Katara, I’ve got this covered.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang eyed her uncertainly, causing her to roll her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make sure I’m higher up on the chain this time, I promise,” She assured him. “Now go! We’re running out of time!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A quick glance at how close they were to the top of the cliff was all the convincing Aang needed, and a moment later he had jumped from her tank to Katara’s. Sita nodded with approval and then scampered up the tank once more to the cannon, which was quickly enveloped in flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara looked up as Aang landed next to her, scanning the ice coating the tracks, cannon, and chain with his eyes. “I’ve frozen them as much as I can,” She confessed. Aang nodded and turned back to pull her so her arms were looped around his neck and she was behind him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold on tight!” He ordered. Katara nodded and tightened her grip as Aang forced another air blast to send them into the air, followed by three successive blasts that were heralded by the sound of metal snapping and grinding. Aang grinned as the tank dropped down, gravity taking hold. “It worked!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great, now get us back on </span>
  <em>
    <span>top</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the cliff,” Katara advised, fear running through her as they too began to fall. Aang laughed softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As you wish!” He called back while propelling them to the chain, which he grabbed with ease and began to climb. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>BOOM. Aang’s eyes widened and he looked over as Sita’s tank fell as well, this time with Sita still holding onto her chain and with a large smile on her face. He grinned back and flashed her a thumbs-up before they both resumed their climb up to the top of the cliff. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka!” He called out as they drew closer. The Water Tribe boy poked his head over the side of the cliff. “Help pull us up!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy didn’t need to be told twice, and within seconds both chains were being pulled up with the help of the entire refugee community until the three benders rolled over and onto the cliff, utterly exhausted. Aang took deep breaths while Katara fumbled for a sip of water from her canteen and Sita slowly forced herself to stand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you beat them?!” Teo asked, his wheelchair rattling on the stone as he rushed over. Aang nodded and threw a fist up in the air as a weak sign of victory.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, the air around them erupted into cheers as everyone jumped for joy, cursing the Fire Nation soldiers and cheering for the four strangers that had arrived and helped them. Aang looked over at Sita, who shrugged and looked over at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think they’re a little excited,” She teased. Aang couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him, nor the groan of exhaustion as he too stood from the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, maybe,” He agreed as he stared at the refugees, and then further up at the Air Temple, with a soft smile. However, it dropped when he realized something was missing. He rounded on Sokka and the Mechanist. “Where’s the balloon?!” He demanded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their eyes widened, and the both of them quickly looked around, only for Sokka to pale and point out at the woods. Aang, Katara, and Sita turned before gasping. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One scout had made his way up the mountain, alone, and now the Fire Nation had the perfect weapon for an air-based assault. Their faces crumpled to defeated expressions, the greater battle lost in the face of their minor victory. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! So, a lot happened in this one and the outcome was ever so slightly different, which was fun to write. I especially enjoyed actually punishing the Mechanist cause what he did was legitimately disgusting and they didn't punish him enough in the show in my opinion. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, please leave a comment telling me what you think and make sure to subscribe for more updates.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Waterbending Master</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Gaang finishes up at the Northern Air Temple and arrives at the Northern Water Tribe.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three days had passed since the short fight against the Fire Nation soldiers terrorizing the Mechanist and his fellow refugees. Three days of attempted negotiations, three days of pulling out pipes and mechanisms from the Temple, and three days of Aang almost exclusively practicing his airbending while avoiding the rest of them. By the beginning of the fourth day, Katara had had enough. </p><p> </p><p>“Aang?” She called out as she entered a large atrium that Sokka and Momo had found when exploring, one that was entirely untouched. She felt her body sag with relief as the sight of Aang working through an airbending set. “Aang.”</p><p> </p><p>With a frustrated sigh, Aang’s movements came to a halt and he turned to face her. “Is there a pipe giving us trouble again?” He asked. “Or another mechanism to move?”</p><p> </p><p>Katara shook her head. “You need to meet with the Mechanist and Teo to negotiate better terms. They can’t just be forced out of their home, especially not Teo!”</p><p> </p><p>“This isn’t their home, Katara,” He reminded her as his hands clenched into fists. “They’ve been here for seventeen years, my people lived here for centuries before they were wiped out.”</p><p> </p><p>“Exactly, Aang, the airbenders are gone,” She emphasized, “With no one to live in these temples, they’ll just crumble to dust.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang whirled on her with an angry expression. “I would rather they crumble to dust before I let people come here and defile them. At least that way, I wouldn’t have to see the history of my people being wiped out by anything other than time.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara stared at him in shock. “Do you really mean that?” She wondered. “Would you really be that selfish, to deny asylum to refugees, just for your people? For a history?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. I would,” Aang took a deep breath and walked over to a mural of the first five airbending levels. “My people were wiped out, murdered, before their time. I will not let their history, their teachings, or their culture go the same way.”</p><p> </p><p>Before either of them could say anything else, the temple floor rumbled beneath their feet. Aang’s eyes widened as a clamor of shouts echoed from further down the halls. With a deep frown, he reached out and summoned his glider with a well-timed air blast. </p><p> </p><p>“What have they done now?” He muttered while storming out of the room, Katara just behind him as they made their way down the halls until they reached the main hallway. Aang gasped. </p><p> </p><p>The mural was officially cleared of pipes. Not a single one was in sight, and he could actually make out more of the illustrations of monks, nuns, and sky bison now. His staff dropped to the floor as he dashed forward and pressed his hands against it, praying this wasn’t a dream. To his right, he heard a voice call out his name. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s pretty good work, huh?” Sokka asked with pride as he stared at the wall. Aang looked over. </p><p> </p><p>“Did you do this?” He wondered. Sokka held his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart while his face turned sheepish.</p><p> </p><p>“Only a little. Sita did most of the work,” He gestured for Aang to come over to where he stood. “See, we didn’t want to try to take all of the pipe out and risk taking the wall down with it,” He pointed at where the pipe had been closed off about two inches deep into the wall, “So Sita melted them at the end, we pulled the pipe out, and then she forced the pipe to melt a little more to act as a support beam while leaving room to patch up the mural.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, it’s been a bit of a pain,” Aang turned around as Sita entered the room, “Making sure I didn’t scorch the stone and all that.” Her mouth curved into a smile. “What do you think, Aang?”</p><p> </p><p>His mouth flapped open and shut as he attempted to formulate a response, until he finally managed to choke out a simple, “It’s great.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita and Sokka grinned and high fived before looking over at the wall across from them. “Now, we did run into another problem,” Sokka admitted. “These pipes are running water, if you could even call it that, to several areas of the temple. If we don’t have a way to keep this place from flooding, then we can’t do anything about them.”</p><p> </p><p>“Which is where you and Katara come in,” Sita interjected. “If you guys can use your waterbending to keep the pipes from spilling out too much, we can pull it out with no problems.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded in understanding and looked over at Katara, who glared at them with her arms crossed. “C’mon Katara, it’ll make removing these pipes so much easier!” He pleaded. </p><p> </p><p>Katara shook her head. “You’re destroying a home, Aang, and I’m not going to help.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh for Agni’s sake,” She muttered under her breath before looking over at Sokka. “Your sister is going to be the reason that this takes forever to do.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded in agreement while Katara and Aang continued to stare each other down. “She just hates it when things are unfair,” He admitted. Sita scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“Then she should be on Aang’s side,” She spat. “He’s the one losing his culture through these people being here.” Sokka shrugged at that and turned his attention back to the two fighting benders. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m not doing anything until you help these people, Aang,” Katara repeated. Aang shook his head and gestured out at the cliffs just outside the hallway they were standing in. </p><p> </p><p>“I already did, in case you forgot about the incident with the Fire Nation,” He reminded her with a glare. Katara scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“They need help in finding a home too,” She snapped. “You’re the Avatar, ‘helping people is what you do’.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang rolled his eyes as she threw his own words back at him. “What do you want me to do, Katara? Find these people a new settlement instead of focusing on restoring this temple?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, yes I wish you would do that!” Katara shouted. “Or, better yet, just leave this temple alone and let them continue living here! The Air Nomads had four temples, surely you can part with one in the name of helping people.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita’s eyes widened at that and she shook her head before turning on her heel. “Let’s go take out a few of the pipes in the next room over,” She said to Sokka as she started walking away. “I can’t watch this right now.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded in agreement and went to follow her, the both of them grabbing some tools on the way over to the next set of pipes. Within minutes they were getting to work, with Sita straddling a pipe and climbing to get to a higher part of the scaffolding where there were no stairs. Once she made it up there, Sokka tossed up some metal bars to help her separate the pipe from the melted end and push the melted metal deeper into the wall. </p><p> </p><p>“Let me know when you want me to start!” Sita shouted while Sokka wrapped some rope around the base of the pipe to pull it away. </p><p> </p><p>A moment later, the rope was tightly coiled and Sokka had braced himself with a tight grip on it. “Go ahead!” He called back. “Just let me know when you’re separating the ends!”</p><p> </p><p>Sita flashed him a quick thumbs-up before snapping her fingers to generate an intense flame at the end of her pointer finger. She then pressed the flame against the metal and gradually pumped more energy into it with each deep breath she took until the pipe was malleable enough to separate. Within seconds, she extinguished the flame and stuck the metal bar into the soft metal. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m pushing them apart now, Sokka!” She alerted him while quickly pushing the metal apart until the pipe finally disconnected. Below her, Sokka tugged on the rope and watched as the pipe fell away and bent slightly. “Okay, hold that in place till I get down there!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds good, Sita,” He agreed, taking a step back while maintaining a tight grip. </p><p> </p><p>Above him, Sita forced another flame to erupt from her fingers to melt the end within the wall and began poking it with the bar to force it closed. A moment later, she stopped her motions and watched as the metal began to cool, sealing the tiny section of pipe in the wall shut. She grinned at the sight, and then pulled away. </p><p> </p><p>“Alright, I’m coming down!” Sita grabbed her bar as she shimmied back down the pipe till she reached the scaffolding just below her, yet still above Sokka. “Let’s try and get this whole section done within the next hour or so.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded in agreement and watched as she repeated her process, occasionally shouting instructions or advice as she did so. Back in the main hallway, however, Katara and Aang were running out of enough energy to argue. </p><p> </p><p>“Katara, we’re going in circles here,” Aang finally admitted while leaning against the mural idly. “So tell me, what is actually bothering you about this situation? As much as you care about people, I don’t think this is just about the refugees needing a home.”</p><p> </p><p>The waterbender flinched and turned away, her face stony and her arms crossed against her chest. For several seconds they remained this way until Katara finally calmed down enough to turn back to him. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m,” She took a deep breath. “I’m really frustrated, Aang. And you’re right, it’s about more than the refugees.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang smiled at her hesitantly. “Then talk to me about it, that’s what friends are for.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara nodded slowly and moved to sit next to where he stood against the mural, her eyes locked on the ground. “I’m just kind of jealous,” She admitted. “And… a little like I’m less important somehow.”</p><p> </p><p>She peeked at Aang out of the corner of her eyes to see him watching her curiously. “Well, you have four temples, records of your culture, you were brought up actively learning about the nation you were a part of.” Aang nodded. “Sita got all of those things too, but Sokka and I didn’t.”</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes stung with tears as she continued. “Growing up, we didn’t have a huge cultural heritage to learn from, being the smaller of the two Water Tribes with literally no waterbenders for years before I came along. Even after I realized I was a bender, I had no one to learn from and I knew nothing about my history or culture to help me.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang slid down the wall to sit next to her and rested a hand on her shoulder to rub her back gently. Katara reached up and covered his hand with hers, squeezing it lightly a moment later. </p><p> </p><p>“You and Sita just feel like you’re ‘true benders’ and I’m on the outside looking in,” She confessed. “And, coming here and seeing all of this just really made it feel worse. It was if the universe was sending me a reminder that you have all of this and I have nothing.” Katara looked up at him a moment later. “I think it also makes me side with the refugees more than you.”</p><p> </p><p>She watched as Aang turned away from looking at her to stare up at the ceiling, a sad look in his eyes. “I know the refugees had nothing and that they made a new home and way of life, that’s not the problem I had with it. My problem with it was that in doing so they destroyed something sacred.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara sighed. “I’m sorry Aang,” Katara mumbled. “I just empathize with them having made a place that feels like home. I’m still looking for that, and the thought of them losing something I’ve been dreaming of-”</p><p> </p><p>“Is heartbreaking,” Aang finished. “Especially when it’s for someone who, to you, seems to have everything you’ve ever wanted out of your own nation.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Katara nodded. She let out a sharp exhale a moment later and rubbed her eyes as they continued to sting. “God, saying it aloud sounds so stupid now,” She admitted. “You lost all of your people, the most fundamental part of your nation, and Sita is a fugitive so she can’t go to her own nation either.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang sighed and wrapped an arm around Katara’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Katara. You can’t be right all the time, and I was a little wrong too,” He stated. </p><p> </p><p>Katara peeked up at him. “Yeah? How so?”</p><p> </p><p>“I need to help these refugees relocate,” He decided. “Even if it’s just bringing materials to a location for them and letting them do the rest, I need to help at least a little.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think that’s a good idea,” Katara complimented with a small smile.  Aang smiled back at her and nodded before helping her to her feet. </p><p> </p><p>“But, I don’t want to do that till I’ve done some more work here,” He warned with a stern expression. Katara watched him gesture to the rest of the temple. “There’s so much damage, and I want to at least get a solid start on undoing it.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara nodded in agreement. “I think that’s a good idea, and since you’ve compromised with me then I’ll do the same and help you with the water-carrying pipes,” She promised. </p><p> </p><p>Aang’s grin returned and he threw his arms around her in a tight hug. “Thanks Katara,” He mumbled as she reached up to return the hug. “You’re a good friend.”</p><p> </p><p>“Right back at you, Aang,” Katara joked in a passable impression of Sokka’s voice that caused the both of them to giggle. A moment later, they parted and began to walk in the direction where they had seen Sita and Sokka walk away. </p><p> </p><p>“Also, I bet you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for in the North Pole,” Aang assured her. “Then, after the war is over, you can bring those traditions back to the South Pole!”</p><p> </p><p>Katara couldn’t hold back her giggle at his statement if she tried, and her good mood continued as they entered the room where her brother and Sita were. </p><p> </p><p>“About time!”</p><p> </p><p>The two newcomers looked over at the middle of the mural and gasped at the sight of Sokka and Sita taking out the last pipe in a major stretch that had taken up the first half of the mural. Aang’s eyes widened appreciatively as he studied their handiwork, keeping a distance as they continued working with the burning hot metal of the pipes. </p><p> </p><p>Sita grinned at them as she shoved the metal bar into the hot metal to pry the pipe apart from the wall, her body dripping with sweat after having done this over fifteen times in the last hour. “You two finally make up and come to see our awesome talents?” She shouted. </p><p> </p><p>Aang laughed and nodded. “Yeah, we’re all good. This is super awesome by the way,” He agreed. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka smirked. “Of course it is, you put the two best people in charge of the job,” He boasted. </p><p> </p><p>Katara rolled her eyes and leaned over to whisper to Aang. “Should I bring up his past fears of firebenders and bending in general, or let him enjoy this success with Sita?”</p><p> </p><p>Aang pretended to stroke a non-existent beard in seemingly deep thought. “Hmm…” His expression broke into a smile. “Nah, let him have his moment.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right, especially since he seems to be taking to it like a turtleduck to water,” She commented, pride shooting through her for her brother. Aang nodded in agreement and watched as Sita pulled away from the wall. </p><p> </p><p>“Alright Sokka, you can lower it all now,” She decided, flashing him a thumbs-up as she spoke. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded and began to lower the rope holding up the pipe, which had been braced on a pulley system they had found halfway through removing the pipes. Within minutes, it too joined the rest of the pipes on the floor, as did the two of them. Upon landing, Sokka immediately grabbed a nearby stretch of green cloth and began wiping sweat from his body. </p><p> </p><p>“That is one hard job,” He confessed while Sita walked over, her own cloth in hand. </p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded in agreement. “It sure looks like it,” He looked around the room. “Any idea how many more of these we’ll have to take out?”</p><p> </p><p>Sita shrugged. “Could be anywhere from twenty to fifty,” She estimated. “The biggest challenge will be, as we said earlier, the pipes carrying water cause there’s the flood risk.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, good thing we’ll be helping out,” Katara said, earning a nod and a thankful smile from Aang, Sita, and Sokka. “Not tonight though, that’s going to be something to stagger over a couple days.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’re not doing any more for right now. In fact,” He looked over at Sita, “Wanna start a fire and then we’ll have lunch?”</p><p> </p><p>She flashed him two thumbs-up and then dropped her cloth on the ground. “A break before we get started on the rest of what we can get done with these in the next three days sounds good.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded. “Especially since we’ll be helping the refugees settle somewhere else outside of the temple,” He added. Sita and Sokka raised an eyebrow in response. “It’s my part of the compromise, will you two help?”</p><p> </p><p>The two of them shared a look before nodding. “As long as we aren’t here for longer than those three days, I’m dandy,” Sokka decided. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>In the end, the four travelers were there for an extra week after that day; both to Sokka’s annoyance at the lack of continued progress towards the North Pole and excitement at the eventual completion of the removal of the pipes. Surprisingly, the second had ended up taking far longer due to a complication the Mechanist alerted them to in return for further help with the relocation, the existence of natural gas in the temple that was highly explosive. They resolved the issue fairly quickly, however, and before they knew it they were back on Appa’s back and en route to the North Pole. </p><p> </p><p>Which was where they had been for the last two days. Two straight days of flying over icy water that Sita was considering jumping into if it meant she wouldn’t be so utterly bored. Sokka and Katara weren’t much better off, nor was Aang, but Appa had been the worst by far. </p><p> </p><p>Sita peered over the side of the bison’s saddle and frowned as she noticed Appa had lost a significant amount of altitude since daybreak, and it was sometime in the afternoon now. She looked over at Aang and made to comment on it, when Sokka cut in.</p><p> </p><p>“I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?” He wondered. </p><p> </p><p>Then, as if on cue, Appa dipped farther from the air and grazed the surface of the water with one paw before forcing himself back into the air. Aang turned to face Sokka with a glare while Katara ignored his comment, choosing to stare out at the ocean. </p><p> </p><p>“I have an idea!” Aang snapped. “Why don't we all get on your” His finger jabbed out to point at Sokka harshly, “back and you could fly us to the North Pole?!”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka rolled his eyes in response. “I'd love to,” He drawled while turning so his ass was pointed towards Aang. “Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for take-off!” As he spoke, he wiggled his ass, causing Sita to snicker to herself. Sokka looked over with a glare. </p><p> </p><p>Sita giggled again before shaking her head and waving her hand dismissively. “Sorry Sokka, that was just,” She snorted as Sokka crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “That was something special!”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah? You think you would look better in that position?” He shot back. Sita scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh please, the amount of compliments I’ve received while being in that position is ridiculously high,” She snapped back, earning a stunned look of surprise from Sokka while Katara and Aang slowly looked over with raised eyebrows. Sita winced and looked away from them. “Sorry, that was rude.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara sighed and shook it off while Sokka’s eyes narrowed and Aang frowned at her back. “Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight,” She pointed out. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka scoffed and looked back out at the scenery, Sita’s comment forgotten. “And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe,” He gestured at the wide expanse of ocean dotted with the occasional ice floe, “There's nothing up here.”</p><p> </p><p>Well no one could argue with that statement, so the group returned to staring at the sky, the ocean, or falling asleep as Sita had decided to do. However, that didn’t last long.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> slshh slsshh </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Katara frowned and looked up at the strange sound that strangely resembled the sound of squelching slush between your fingers. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> slshh </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Aang joined Katara in frowning and peered around. </p><p> </p><p>“Aang, look out!” Sokka shouted suddenly, pointing straight in front of them. Aang jumped and turned, a scream leaving him as he was confronted with a wall of water at least ten feet high. </p><p> </p><p>“Hold on tight!” He ordered while jerking the reins to the side. </p><p> </p><p>Sita gasped as she collided with the border of the saddle and threw her hands out, sighing in relief as they wrapped around the edge. The relief was short lived however, as ice spikes shot from the water towards them. Her eyes widened and she leaped to her feet, her hands out in front of her while Aang harshly steered Appa away from them. </p><p> </p><p>“Aang! Focus on getting altitude, I’ll melt the ice!” She shouted. Aang sent her a quick thumbs-up as another spike of ice climbed through the air. With a sudden whoosh, white flames erupted from Sita’s hands, engulfing the ice and sending the melted water back to the ocean. </p><p> </p><p>“They have a firebender!” </p><p> </p><p>Sokka, Katara and Aang froze at the sound of a voice from behind an ice spike. </p><p> </p><p>“Knock her off the bison!” Another voice ordered.</p><p> </p><p>“Hurry!” A third stranger urged. </p><p> </p><p>Aang whirled around to Sita as she sent another jet of fire at more blades of ice. “Sita! Sita get down!”</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes widened and she looked over. “What?!” She demanded. </p><p> </p><p>“Get down!” He screamed. Sita’s brows furrowed, but her confusion lasted mere seconds. </p><p> </p><p>SPLASH. Katara and Sokka paled as a sudden blast of water sent Sita careening off of Appa’s back and into the icy ocean. Aang’s eyes widened in horror. Sita screamed as she plunged under the surface and backward through the water, the cold attacking every inch of her skin beneath her winter clothing. </p><p> </p><p>The next thing she knew, she was yanked from the ocean in a ball of water; one that swirled around her so violently that firebending out was impossible. Her eyes stung with salt and ice as she struggled to force her head out of the water, her lungs burning with a desire for air. Her hair nearly blinded her in a sea of black as it was wrapped around her head by the water’s motions. Below her, three waterbenders gently moved their arms in a pushing and pulling motion, holding her in place. </p><p> </p><p>Aang’s eyes narrowed with anger and his heart pounded in his chest as he searched desperately for Sita’s form in the ocean while also trying to keep Appa from getting caught in the ice. Atop the saddle, Sokka quickly shed his coat and boots while attempting to find her submerged form as well. </p><p> </p><p>“Sokka!” Katara shrieked. “Don’t you dare jump in that ocean! You’ll freeze to death!”</p><p> </p><p>“So will Sita!” Sokka snapped back. </p><p> </p><p>Aang froze, and in that moment of terror forgot to steer. </p><p> </p><p>CRUNCH. Appa let out a roar as ice surrounded his legs and coated his abdomen, locking him in place with Aang, Katara and Sokka upon his back. Sokka gasped as he fell on his back, the sudden stop sending him flying. Katara winced as her hip slammed into the side of the saddle. Aang, however, stared out at the ocean, where several shapes were approaching. </p><p> </p><p>“What are those?” Katara whispered as the shapes drew closer, above one of which was a swirling sort of orb. </p><p> </p><p>Aang's eyes widened as the shapes became clearer with each foot of distance between them cleared. “They’re waterbenders,” He breathed out before his hands clenched into fists and his jaw locked. “And they have Sita.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka frowned and looked up before his own face contorted with fury. Inside a massive orb of water, looking absolutely terrified, was Sita. He and Katara immediately leaped to their feet and grabbed their closest weapons while Aang stormed over with murder in his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“Release us and our friend, now!” He ordered, his eyes locked on the man standing at the head of the center boat, the man he presumed to be the leader. </p><p> </p><p>The man’s features pinched into a frown as he pointed at Sita, who had begun to clutch at her chest and throat as the last of her air supply dwindled. “That woman is Fire Nation, and is thus an enemy of the Northern Water Tribe!” He declared. </p><p> </p><p>Aang snarled at him while Sokka’s grip tightened on his boomerang and Katara’s water rushed out to coat her hands. “I am Avatar Aang, and that is Sita, my firebending instructor! You will release her, immediately.”</p><p> </p><p>The man opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a shout of pain as one of the waterbenders holding Sita captive fell to the deck, clutching his now bleeding leg. Sokka’s boomerang whistled in the air as it returned to Sokka’s hand. </p><p> </p><p>“Let her go or we’ll take care of the others too!” Sokka promised, his eyes dark with fury and worry as Sita’s last bit of air drifted from her lips in a series of bubbles. </p><p> </p><p>The man stared at him in shock for a second longer before nodding slowly and looking over at the other two benders, who released their control of the sphere. With a large splash, it came down onto the deck and released Sita in a sodden heap. Her friends watched fearfully as she shivered on the deck, coughing as she struggled to breathe while soldiers circled her. </p><p> </p><p>“Give her back to us, now!” Katara demanded. The man shook his head no. </p><p> </p><p>“She will remain in our custody until we reach Chief Arnook,” He countered. “But we will not harm her.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara and Sokka looked over at Aang, whose eyes were only focused on Sita. He watched as she breathed out a small burst of flame, her body seeming to warm up each time she did it. Finally, she looked up and met his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m okay, Aang!” She managed to get out. “I’ll be dry in a bit, not to worry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure?” He checked. Sita nodded. </p><p> </p><p>“Let them take us to the Chief, I’m sure it’ll be alright,” She assured him. The leader of the troop scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re an enemy of the tribe, make no mistake…” His eyes widened as he got a better look at Sita’s face. “You’re-”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I’m a Fire Nation fugitive, they’re well aware,” Sita snapped, losing patience with the man by the second. “I’m also the Avatar’s firebending teacher, so have fun explaining this to your Chief.”</p><p> </p><p>The man grit his teeth and felt his hands clench into fists, but said nothing as his comrades released Appa from the ice. Once Appa was completely free, the three travelers relaxed their offensive positions and the man felt his shoulders drop ever so slightly. </p><p> </p><p>“Follow us,” He turned to the next boat over where Sita was. “Put her in manacles. I will not stand for a firebender’s hands being free while we can’t control them.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang lunged forward at the order, but Katara grabbed his wrist at the last second. “Aang! You can’t attack them,” She urged. “You need to wait until we see the Chief.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita rolled her eyes as the waterbenders quickly pulled out manacles and locked them around her wrists before forcing her to sit at the front of the boat. “Katara’s right, Aang. Keep your lid on till we see this Chief. It does me no good for you to attack these people.”</p><p> </p><p>The two benders stared at each other, one of them unyielding and one uncertain. Finally, Aang relented and turned to walk back to Appa’s head, where he grabbed the reins and sat down, his legs crossed. Behind him, Katara and Sokka sat with their eyes locked on the boat Sita was stuck on as they began to cross the last of the ocean separating them from the Northern Water Tribe. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>A short trip later, just when the three of them were about ready to jump off of Appa and fight through all of them to get Sita back, a huge wall of ice came into view with the seal of the Northern Water Tribe carved into it. Aang and Katara couldn’t help but grin at the sight of their goal while Sokka stared at it appreciatively and Sita continued maintaining a cold, if somewhat irritated, expression. </p><p> </p><p>“The Northern Water Tribe,” Katara breathed out in awe, a lot of her dreams starting to feel as if they were coming true the closer they got. Of course, it would help to know her friend was safe, but still. The sight sure was something. </p><p> </p><p>“We're finally here,” Sokka murmured. He watched as the boats slowly came to a stop, just in front of the icy barricade, before the leader turned his head upwards to shout at someone. </p><p> </p><p>“Open the wall, and inform Chief Arnook that the Fire Nation fugitive, Sita, has been arrested,” He ordered. Another man, atop the wall, gave a signal to a group of waterbenders, two of which left deeper into the city. </p><p> </p><p>The other two, however, both moved closer to where their visitors sat in the water and raised their arms before gently pulling them back to the side, forcing the wall to melt into a gap just wide enough for Appa and the boats to slip through. Upon entering, Aang and Katara gasped at the sight of multitudes of waterbenders watching them from watchpoints, training in large courtyards, bending the boats up and down the canals, and also just bending for fun. Sita, however, was far less enthused as a group of six benders, three on each side of the canal, moved to follow their procession with their hands raised to defend themselves. </p><p> </p><p>“Is that entirely necessary?” She drawled, peering at the leader from earlier in the corner of her eye. The man scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“We may be far away from the Fire Nation, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know who you are or your abilities.” His voice was as cold as the ice surrounding them and his eyes were just as hard. </p><p> </p><p>Sita sighed and went back to looking straight ahead, grateful that her body had dried off by now as an icy wind blew through the canal. “I assure you, sir, I’m not as remarkable as you all are making me out to be.”</p><p> </p><p>The leader didn’t reply, instead focused on their path up to the palace, which stood out as the tallest and most intricate structure at the very back of the city. Katara’s mouth dropped open and she looked over at Sokka, who was also gaping in shock, as they caught sight of the building. </p><p> </p><p>“This really is different from back home,” She admitted. Sokka nodded slowly, his eyes shifting away from the palace as he attempted to process, only to be locked onto something far more radiant. </p><p> </p><p>On another boat going down a separate canal, sat a young woman of no more than twenty with hair as white as the moon and delicate features that complimented her enormously. Sokka could feel his mouth still hanging open as he stared at her. </p><p> </p><p>“The palace is beautiful,” Katara continued, oblivious to her brother’s stunned state as he nodded slowly in agreement, his eyes still locked on the beautiful woman. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, she is,” He mumbled before blinking as the woman disappeared around a corner, forcing him to wonder if he had dreamed her up or not.Sokka shook his head and looked back over at Katara and Aang. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, at least we won’t have to worry about finding a waterbending master,” Aang chimed, attempting to distract himself from the impending meeting with Chief Arnook. Katara nodded in agreement. </p><p> </p><p>“That’ll probably be the easiest part of this trip,” She teased. Aang laughed and shook his head fondly before hanging a right and following the lead boat. “I wonder what their training grounds look like.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang shrugged. “Beats me! I didn’t come here, even before the war started, so I don’t even have a frame of reference,” He admitted. “I’d imagine it’s a lot of wide-open space though, with water and ice features.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara nodded in agreement before looking over at Sita and then back to Aang. “Do you think you’ll be able to start doing sparring with Sita once you’ve gotten some training?”</p><p> </p><p>“Depends on what this Chief Arnook says,” Aang replied, his voice chilled as his jaw clenched and his knuckles turned white from his grip on the reins. “For all we know, they’re about to throw Sita in a jail cell.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka and Katara opened their mouths to respond, but the feeling of Appa coming to a stop caused them to pause and look up at the palace looming in front of them. They gulped and fidgeted nervously while Aang steeled his nerves and moved to stand while holding Appa’s reins. </p><p> </p><p>Sita didn’t move as the waterbenders got out of the boats, knowing that to do so would leave her in worse restraints than simple manacles. Instead, she waited until it was just the leader and herself left on the boat, at which point he turned towards her and grabbed the chain holding her hands together. </p><p> </p><p>“Get up,” He ordered. Sita bowed her head and stood before disembarking with him while Appa climbed out of the canal and settled on the ice. In the corner of her eye, she saw her three friends jump from the bison a moment later and felt her muscles relax at the knowledge they were right behind her. “Has the Chief been informed of our arrival?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes sir, he awaits you with the council in the throne room,” Another waterbender replied with a nervous glance at the firebender beside his leader. </p><p> </p><p>The leader nodded and sharply tugged on the restraints as he began walking, causing Sita to stumble forward before moving to match his pace. Behind them, her friends glared at the back of the leader’s head. Sita, however, forced herself to remain calm and collected the closer they drew to the throne room. </p><p> </p><p>“So, what is your Chief going to do to her?” Sokka suddenly asked coolly, his pent up anger and frustration beginning to come out. The leader continued walking. </p><p> </p><p>“He shall judge her and determine the risk she poses to us all,” He replied, his response purposefully vague in a way that set Aang’s teeth on edge. </p><p> </p><p>“And then what?” He snapped. Sita sighed and shook her head. </p><p> </p><p>“Guys, stop worrying,” She fought back a wave of fear as they approached the door to the throne room. “It’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>The leader scoffed. “Your overconfidence is unsettling.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita rolled her eyes. “This won’t be the first important man I’ve ever met, and I daresay it won’t be the last.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang, Katara and Sokka shared a look at that, all three of them simultaneously remembering exactly what Sita had said she had done to become a criminal in the Fire Nation. Internally, their anxiety spiked higher than the tallest turret of the tallest building in the world, whichever one that may be. </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, the ground rumbled as a set of massive doors formed of solid ice creaked open, revealing a long and grand throne room with intricate carvings embedded in the walls and ceiling. At the very end of the hall, they could see a man sitting on a throne also carved from ice, with two people sitting to his left and two people sitting to his right. They swallowed nervously as they drew closer, and avoided the eyes of the Chief, but Sita refused him that. Instead, her head was raised high, her chin tilted ever so slightly upward as the slightest show of defiance. </p><p> </p><p>“Chief Arnook,” The leader bowed as he approached, his hand still wrapped around the chain holding Sita’s manacles together. “We have arrested the Fire Nation fugitive known as Lady Sita. I present her to you for judgment.”</p><p> </p><p>All four of the travelers stared at Chief Arnook, a severe man with a stern expression and dark hair that, as he appraised Sita. A few seconds later, he looked back at the leader that had brought them to him. </p><p> </p><p>“Release your grip on her manacles,” His eyes shifted, “Unless you are truly foolish, I do not think you will attempt to escape anytime soon.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita said nothing in response while the leader reluctantly released his grip and moved off to the side. Chief Arnook’s gaze then moved to Aang, Sokka and Katara and his brows pinched in a frown. </p><p> </p><p>“You are the Avatar,” He started slowly. Aang nodded. “And you two are from the Southern Water Tribe.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara and Sokka nodded in response and bowed respectfully while Aang stared at him coldly, the sight of his friend still in chains making him rather unwilling to follow the tradition of respect in this case. Chief Arnook stared right back before waving his hand dismissively. </p><p> </p><p>“You three are dismissed, I will address the fugitive alone,” He ordered. Aang’s hands clenched into fists while his jaw set with fury. Before he could respond, however, Sita looked over her shoulder and nodded. </p><p> </p><p>“Do as he says,” She urged. “This will be over a lot quicker if you do.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang scowled. “But-”</p><p> </p><p>“Go,” Sita hissed. “Now.”</p><p> </p><p>With one last glare in the chief’s direction, Aang turned and followed an escort out of the hall and onto a balcony with Katara and Sokka, wincing as a set of doors shut behind them. Within the room, Sita turned back to Chief Arnook, whose expression was indecipherable as he regarded her. </p><p> </p><p>“It is strange,” He eventually began. “That a Fire Nation fugitive would willfully venture into the territory of those that call her nation their enemy.”</p><p> </p><p>“As the Avatar’s firebending instructor, I must follow him wherever he goes so that I might do what my title dictates,” Sita replied, earning a raised eyebrow. </p><p> </p><p>“You instruct the Avatar in the ways of firebending?” Sita nodded once. “Is he aware of your status as a fugitive?”</p><p> </p><p>“He is, I informed him as well as his friends of my physical assault on a high ranking Fire Nation citizen,” She explained. Chief Arnook stared at her. </p><p> </p><p>“And what of your other offenses?” Sita’s brow furrowed in confusion. “While your previous occupation is not considered a crime in the Fire Nation, I am afraid it is one here.”</p><p> </p><p>“How, pray tell, do you know about my profession?” Sita wondered, her insides turning cold at the mention. Chief Arnook sighed. </p><p> </p><p>“It is emblazoned on your wanted posters, clear as day, if one knows what your tattoos signify,” He replied with a pointed glance at her shoulder. Sita’s hands clenched into fists. “Prostitution is a crime, Lady Sita, one that we must take into account in regards to the risk you pose as well as the assault.”</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes stung bitterly and she looked down at the ice. “If I may, your highness, I have not been a prostitute since I left the Fire Nation, which was over a year ago now. I respectfully ask that in light of that you do not count it against my character.”</p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook stared at her for several seconds before sighing. “Even if I were to disregard your,” He paused, “<em> previous </em> profession, your tattoos call your character into question.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita’s eyes snapped back to his and narrowed into slits while her lip curled into a snarl. “Tell me, Chief Arnook, what exactly do you know about my tattoos?” She demanded. The Chief sighed at her, nonplussed by the reaction. </p><p> </p><p>“It is well known through information spread about the Imperial Brothel and its girls that you are given a tattoo as punishment for assaulting a client,” He replied coolly. “On your wanted posters, you are described as having five of these tattoos which therefore adds five counts of assault.”</p><p> </p><p>“Four,” She spat at him. “The fifth tattoo I earned was for the assault that forced me to become a fugitive in the first place. And,” She took a step forward, ignoring how the waterbenders took several steps closer to her, “For the record, each and every burn I inflicted upon them was in the name of self-defense.”</p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook frowned at that. “Then, I must ask, how is it that there is a warrant out to arrest you for assault rather than this matter being entirely dismissed in the Fire Nation?”</p><p> </p><p>Sita stared at him for a long time as she debated how to answer his question. Her entire body was shaking now with both outward anger and a myriad of suppressed emotions this ordeal was drawing to the surface. Finally, she took a deep breath and addressed the Chief with perfect eye contact. </p><p> </p><p>“The last client I burned was too high up in the social and political world of the Fire Nation, he can overrule a lowly prostitute,” She spat her job title out with more venom than even a crab-cobra could produce, “Who can’t even afford legal counsel with ease. In the end, I had no other option than to run once the order was put out for my arrest.”</p><p> </p><p>The firebender and the Northern Water Tribe Chief regarded each other for several moments, both of them searching each other’s features for any sign of any emotion they might deem favorable. Finally, Chief Arnook held up a hand, ordering the waterbenders back to their original position against the wall. </p><p> </p><p>“In light of this testimony, and your role as the Avatar’s sole firebending instructor, I shall release you to your friends without punishment,” Sita’s body sagged with relief, “With conditions.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita looked back up and nodded firmly. “I shall obey any and all limitations put before me, your highness.”</p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook nodded. “You are not to leave the company of the Avatar for any reason outside of maintaining personal privacy when changing and in similar situations, and you shall not firebend outside of your lessons with the Avatar, which shall be supervised by Master Pakku, our leading Master in waterbending.”</p><p> </p><p>The two figures on each side of the Chief, who Sita could only assume were his council, immediately burst into outraged whispers. However, a look from Chief Arnook silenced them instantly. </p><p> </p><p>“Do you, Lady Sita,” The firebender nearly gagged at the title her wanted posters and clientele had assigned her. “Agree to these conditions and vow to uphold them until your departure from the Northern Water Tribe?”</p><p> </p><p>Sita nodded and sunk into a bow. “I do, your highness, Chief Arnook.”</p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook nodded in approval before turning to the leader of the troop that had taken her captive, who was gaping at them in shock. “Release Sita and bring her companions back here so that I may speak to them about living accommodations.”</p><p> </p><p>With a bitter glare at the firebender, who didn’t let an ounce of her glee slip through onto her face as she rose from her bow, the leader swiftly approached and shoved the key into the manacles before ripping them from her wrists. Sita let out a hiss of pain at the sensation but said nothing as he then moved on to the door behind which her friends stood. She watched as he opened it, and felt herself smile, her previous emotions fading away, when Aang, Sokka, and Katara ran past him without waiting for his approval.</p><p> </p><p>“Sita!” They shouted as they jumped on her, pulling her into a massive group hug. Sita laughed and hugged them back tightly. Behind them, the Chief and his council watched them silently. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re all good, right?” Aang asked as they pulled apart. Sita nodded. </p><p> </p><p>“With a few conditions,” She admitted. “But yes, I am not a prisoner nor am I to be punished.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang, Katara, and Sokka turned to the Chief before bowing. “Thank you very much, your highness,” They all said simultaneously. </p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook allowed a small smile as he stood from his throne to bow to them. “Thank you, for your respect and cooperation with my soldiers as well as myself. It is greatly appreciated.” He walked down the set of stairs separating them until he was a mere to or three feet away. “We must now discuss your housing situation.”</p><p> </p><p>The four friends shared a look as the Chief continued. </p><p> </p><p>“There is a large guest house on the edge of the palace grounds, close to where training is held for the waterbenders as well as a small shopping district where you may stock up on provisions,” He explained. “You four shall remain there with your bison for the duration of your stay.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded and bowed once more in thanks. “Thank you, Chief Arnook, for your hospitality. May we go there immediately to unload our belongings?”</p><p> </p><p>Arnook gave a single nod in response. “Yes, you may. I only ask that you remain there for the rest of this day until the evening, at which point a servant will collect you to bring you to a feast in celebration.”</p><p> </p><p>The four travelers nodded and gave their thanks again before taking their leave with one of Arnook’s servants. As soon as they left the main hall, however, they all burst into chatter. </p><p> </p><p>“What did he say?” Sokka demanded. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, what did he ask you?” Katara wondered. </p><p> </p><p>Sita laughed and shook her head fondly. “He was very calm and collected, his questions were as respectful as they could have been given the fact we were talking about my criminal status in the Fire Nation, and overall I have no complaints about him.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang rolled his eyes. “Vague much?” He teased. Sita scoffed and lightly slugged him in the shoulder. “It’s okay, it adds to your mysterious vibe.”</p><p> </p><p>“I do not have a mysterious vibe!” Sita cried out, laughably outraged. Katara and Sokka snickered as they walked over to Appa and began unloading their packs from his saddle. </p><p> </p><p>“You do sometimes,” Sokka admitted. Katara nodded. </p><p> </p><p>“But don’t worry, it makes you really cool,” She joked. Sita rolled her eyes and lightly kicked Katara in the shins. </p><p> </p><p>“I swear, I thought friends were supposed to be nice to each other,” She complained lightheartedly, a smile still on her face as her friends laughed. Aang shook his head fondly as he grabbed Appa’s reins and started leading him away as they followed the servant to the house Arnook had given them. </p><p> </p><p>“So, did the Chief give you any rules?” He asked as they crossed a large courtyard. Sita nodded. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I can’t leave your side,” She poked Aang in the ribs for emphasis and smirked when he let out a soft yelp, “And I can’t firebend unless I’m giving you a lesson, which has to be supervised by one of the waterbending masters, Pakku.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara and Sokka winced at that. “I can’t imagine having a restriction on my bending,” She admitted. “It just seems so foreign.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita shrugged. “I’m cool with it. Beats sitting in a cell made of ice at least,” She pointed out. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded. “True, true.” </p><p> </p><p>“Why can’t you go off by yourself, though?” Aang wondered. “That just seems ridiculous.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita immediately forced her lips into a pout and widened her eyes as she looked at him, throwing in a wobble of her bottom lip for good measure. “But Aang, we’ll get to hang out more… Don’t you like hanging out with me?”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka and Katara snickered as Aang’s face erupted with panic and his hands began to flap like baby bird wings. “I-I I didn’t mean it that way, I promise!” He stammered, “I love hanging out with you, Sita!”</p><p> </p><p>The Water Tribe siblings burst into cackles as Sita grinned and him and jumped onto his back. “I knew you were a good friend!” She cheered loudly while Aang tried not to fall on his face from the sudden impact. </p><p> </p><p>“Watch it!” He said jokingly, “I am 116 you know!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, yes, you’re an old geezer,” Sita teased with an eye roll as she pinched his cheek. “Now, let’s get to the house. I need a nap and a bath before I go to this feast tonight. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>It turned out that feast was a bit of an understatement when it came to the Northern Water Tribe in Aang, Katara and Sokka’s eyes. Then again, this wasn’t surprising to them as they had only had a ‘feast’ with King Bumi in Omashu and that was far less grand than the spectacle unfolding in the great hall of the palace. Sita, however, took it in stride and was glad that the royal family had been kind enough to provide her with a nicer coat to wear in the freezing room. </p><p> </p><p>“This is so…” Katara trailed off as she took a seat at the head table with her friends. Sita hummed as she sat between her and Aang. </p><p> </p><p>“Opulent? Over-the-top?” She suggested. Katara nodded slowly in agreement. “Don’t worry, it’s not too bad. Just smile and nod, maybe participate in the occasional conversation.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded in agreement. “That does seem like a good plan for a party this big,” He admitted. “I don’t really want to be swarmed by random people.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita raised an eyebrow. “When did you get swarmed?” She asked. </p><p> </p><p>Katara burst into giggles while Aang groaned and let his head drop to the table with a thud. “Let’s just say that Aang has a loyal group of fangirls on Kyoshi Island,” She explained simply. </p><p> </p><p>Aang shook his head as it rested on the table. “Not loyal, crazy,” He corrected. “And more likely to swarm than even a group of wasp piranhas.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita snickered and reached out to pat his back mockingly. “Not to worry, young one, I don’t think we’ll have any issues with that here.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded. “Especially since you’ll be practicing your magic water skills.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara raised an eyebrow at him. “‘Magic water skills’?” She quoted, her fingers forming quotation marks while Aang tilted his head to watch the impending argument go down. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Katara, magic water skills,” Sokka replied, grinning as his sister’s eye twitched the way it always did when he got under her skin. </p><p> </p><p>Behind her, Sita and Aang shared a knowing look while Katara’s hands clenched under the table. They were interrupted, however, by Chief Arnook standing from his place at the center of the table to address the entire assemblage of guests attending the feast. </p><p> </p><p>“Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe,” He gestured at Katara and Sokka, who smiled at the crowd as they applauded. “And they have brought with them, someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now ... the Avatar!”</p><p> </p><p>Aang slowly stood and waved politely with a shy smile on his face as the crowd’s applause skyrocketed in volume and fervor and a tidal wave of cheers swept through the air. He sat down, however, when Arnook continued his speech. </p><p> </p><p>“And that is not all!” He looked over at Sita, “We also welcome the Avatar’s firebending instructor, who has traveled far and wide to help him in restoring balance to the world!”</p><p> </p><p>Sita did not stand, choosing instead to wave and smile from her seat as Katara and Sokka did while a dimmer round of applause echoed. Arnook nodded and then turned back to the crowd, both arms raised in a happy and victorious gesture. </p><p> </p><p>“We also celebrate my daughter's twentieth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!” </p><p> </p><p>The crowd cheered once more, somehow even louder than when Aang’s presence had been announced, while a new figure approached the table. Sokka’s jaw dropped while Sita, Katara and Aang smiled at her warmly. </p><p> </p><p>Princess Yue smiled at the crowd, her white hair shining under the moonlight as she turned to Arnook. “Thank you, Father,” She then turned to the crowd with a bright smile. “May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times!” She cheered, earning yet another round of applause in response.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka quickly forced his jaw to close as Yue then moved around her father to sit on his other side, right next to Sokka himself. Arnook, however, did not notice and instead grinned as an elderly man led a group of men behind him to a large platform. </p><p> </p><p>“Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!” He announced as the group moved into their stances. A moment later, Arnook took his seat, and the performance began. </p><p> </p><p>Sita’s eyes widened as the benders leaped into action, each of them manipulating a large blob of water into a variety of shapes before joining it into one stream that swirled around them in a vibrant and shining display. On each side of her, Katara and Aang leaned forward to watch them, their eyes glittering with delight. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka, however, only had eyes for the princess who sat to his right; and in a moment of bravery leaned over to smile at her. “Hi there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe,” He greeted. </p><p> </p><p>Yue smiled back and gave a short bow in greeting. “Very nice to meet you,” She replied. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka felt his brain short circuit at the sound of her voice being directed at him. Her expression dimmed to an awkward glance. Finally, he shook his head and snapped out of it enough to form a response. </p><p> </p><p>“So... uhhh... you're a princess, huh?” Yue smiled and nodded quickly at his nervous words and demeanor.  Sokka rested his weight on his elbow, propped on the dining table, in an effort to appear nonchalant. “You know, back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince, myself.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara, who had been tuning him out before in favor of the waterbenders, snickered softly at his pronouncement. “Ha, prince of what?” She chimed from his left while taking a sip of water. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka glared at her. “A lot of things!” He snapped. Yue stared at him while Katara raised an eyebrow. He quickly turned away from the princess to whisper-shout at his sister. “Do you mind?! I'm trying to have a conversation here!”</p><p> </p><p>His sister smirked at him before giving an over-exaggerated bow in response, “My apologies, Prince Sokka,” She drawled teasingly. Sokka, however, did not rise to the bait and turned back to Yue. </p><p> </p><p>“So, it looks like I'm going to be in town for a while. I'm thinking…” Yue tilted her head to the side, interested, “maybe we could... do an activity together?” He offered with a weak smile on his face. </p><p> </p><p>Yue laughed softly, a confused expression on her face. “Do an activity?”</p><p> </p><p>It seemed that was when Sokka was officially left speechless for the first time in many years as he gaped at the princess like a fish having an anxiety attack. With a sigh, Sita leaned across the table to get a better look at him. </p><p> </p><p>“I apologize for him, Princess,” She ignored the slight gleam of fear in Yue’s eyes as she spoke, “‘Prince’ Sokka is rather exhausted from our journey, and it has left him rather ineloquent this evening.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh…” Yue turned her gaze back to Sokka, who was forcing food into his mouth while his face and ears burned red with embarrassment. “That’s quite alright,” She decided before turning to her own food. </p><p> </p><p>Katara snickered while Sita sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Very smooth…” She teased. </p><p> </p><p>“He’ll learn eventually,” Sita commented before taking a bite of her food while continuing to watch the waterbenders’ performance. “They’re really quite good.”</p><p> </p><p>“They are,” Aang agreed. “I wonder how long it’ll take me before I can do that!”</p><p> </p><p>“Quicker than it’ll take you to do that with fire, that’s for sure,” She replied instantly, earning a slightly disappointed look from Aang. “I’m not saying you can’t do it, I’m sure you could, but you need to be solid on the basics before we go any further.”</p><p> </p><p>“But you taught me fire blasts back at the temple,” Aang pointed out, wincing when he earned an exasperated sigh from Sita. </p><p> </p><p>“That was because there was a strong risk of a fight, and only for that reason.” She took a sip of her drink, “I’m not about to leave you unprepared in that situation by refusing to teach you certain skills, but I’m also not going to bombard you with techniques, that will make you sloppy.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang pouted at that but ultimately didn’t want to spend the rest of the evening arguing with Sita so he kept his mouth shut on that topic and instead decided to finish eating his food and watching the performance. Further down the table, Katara and Sokka did the same thing, hunger from their travels continuing to catch up to them. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>Later that evening, after the feast had ended, Arnook approached Aang as he, Katara, Sita, and Sokka began to rise from their places and get ready to leave. The four of them looked over and smiled in greeting. </p><p> </p><p>“Avatar Aang, Lady Sita, there’s someone I want you both to meet,” He explained. “If you both could follow me, this will only take a few minutes.”<br/><br/></p><p>Sita and Aang looked at each other before nodding and walking away with Arnook, leaving Katara and Sokka standing at the table with slightly puzzled expressions. A few minutes later, Aang’s eyes widened as they approached a large fountain in a plaza, in front of which stood Master Pakku. He looked over at Sita, whose own eyes were also wide as she studied the waterbender. Arnook, however, grinned and walked over without hesitation. </p><p> </p><p>“Master Pakku,” The man turned towards them and studied the teenagers with a stern expression, “meet your newest student, the Avatar, and his firebending instructor, Sita.”</p><p> </p><p>In response, Pakku let out a contemplative hum and took another moment to look at them. “Just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment,” He warned, a pointed glance aimed at Aang, who smiled. </p><p> </p><p>“My friend and I can't wait to start training with you! After we relax for a couple of days,” He replied. Pakku raised an eyebrow in response, as did Sita. </p><p> </p><p>“Aang, if you think you’re going to be relaxing then we need to talk,” Sita stated firmly. “You need to be diligent with your practicing, even when you’re exhausted.”<br/><br/></p><p>“Speaking of,” Sita looked back at Pakku, “I hear I am to be your supervisor for your lessons together.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” She moved to give a deep bow of respect, “Thank you very much for that, by the way.” She rose from her bow, “Was there anything you needed to know about our lessons?”</p><p> </p><p>Pakku nodded and gestured for her to take a seat on the edge of the fountain, eventually following her once she was seated. “Please explain to me how your lessons are conducted, in detail.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita nodded. “Aang and I do breathing drills and stretches with no flames just before sunrise, and then we repeat with flames after sunrise, and then again at sunset in the opposite order.”</p><p> </p><p>“He has not progressed to any of the official firebending forms?” Pakku asked, his voice quite monotone as he questioned her. Sita shook her head. </p><p> </p><p>“Not as of yet, I plan to form an unbreakable foundation for those skills first through Aang’s mastery of his breathing and ability to turn energy from the sun as well as energy from his breathing into fire,” She explained. “Once that is complete, however, he will be able to progress to the actual sets of forms.”</p><p> </p><p>Pakku hummed and nodded in understanding. “Thank you for that, your plans should be easy enough to work into my schedule,” He rose to stand once more, as did Sita, “I shall see you both in the training grounds to the north of where you’re staying, just before sunrise. Once your drills are over, I will take over in training.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita bowed once more. “Thank you, Master Pakku, we will not be late.” She rose from her bow. “Have a good evening.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang joined her in bowing to Chief Arnook next before the two of them were led away by a servant to their house, where Katara and Sokka were eagerly waiting for them. As soon as they entered, the siblings pounced with questions. </p><p> </p><p>“Where’d you go?” Sokka asked. </p><p> </p><p>“Who’d you meet?” Katara added. </p><p> </p><p>“Let me at least take my coat off first,” Sita joked as she moved further into the room, her hands coming up to pull her long, blue coat over her head. Aang, however, flopped onto the floor as the day’s exhaustion continued to creep on him despite the nap he had taken before the feat. </p><p> </p><p>“We were taken to that huge plaza with the fountain thingy,” He mumbled, “And we met Master Pakku, who’s going to train me and Katara.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara’s eyes widened and she grinned as she opened her mouth to ask more questions, only to be cut off by a loud snore from Aang. Sita laughed softly as she walked over to them while shaking her head fondly. </p><p> </p><p>“C’mon Katara, let him sleep,” She advised. “You can get all your questions out of the way when you meet Master Pakku in the morning.”</p><p> </p><p>Though slightly disappointed, Katara nodded in response and instead spent a short while talking to Sita and Sokka about their impressions of the Northern Water Tribe before they too followed Aang’s example and passed out for the night. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>The next morning, Aang was awoken by the sound of someone humming to themselves as well as the sound of fabric rustling. He yawned and sat up, his hands coming up to rub the sleep from his eyes before stretching far above his head and stretching out his muscles. Aang blinked a few times and looked around, his eyes widening when he found the source of the humming. </p><p> </p><p>Sita was sitting near the wall, a basin full of water next to her as well as an empty one, humming to herself as she carefully cleaned her hair as well as her face. A moment later, she held her hair over the empty basin and slowly poured the water from the full basin over it, rinsing out any products she had put in completely. With a happy sigh, she set the now empty basin on the ground and began running her fingers through her hair to dry it. A moment later, she picked up her comb and carefully worked it through her hair to work out the knots. </p><p> </p><p>“I can feel you staring,” She murmured suddenly, her humming coming to a stop as her eyes flicked over to Aang, who blushed a deep red. “Get washed up, there’s another basin on the table, and then we’ll head over to meet Pakku.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded slowly and did as she bid while Sita began to pull her hair up so that all of her hair was in a top knot rather than the usual half-up half-down she usually resorted to. A moment later, the both of them stood and stretched before Aang went over to Katara and slowly shook her awake. </p><p> </p><p>“Hmm, huh?” Katara mumbled, still half-asleep. Aang laughed softly. </p><p> </p><p>“Sita and I have to go meet Pakku now, meet us at the training ground Sita told you about just after sunrise,” He explained softly. Katara blinked at him blearily before giving him a thumbs-up and rolling over to sleep more. Aang turned back to Sita. </p><p> </p><p>“Ready to go?” She asked quietly, not wanting to wake up Sokka. Aang nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p>The two benders left soon after and shivered at the feeling of the icy air of the North Pole surrounding them. Sita, however, had a slight advantage over the cold with her inner fire and spent most of the walk explaining to Aang how she could warm herself up with her soft breaths of flames. He had been rather fascinated, and somewhat disappointed they’d arrived at the training ground before she was done with her explanation. </p><p> </p><p>“Good morning.” They turned to the right to see Pakku sitting atop a bench of ice, sipping at a cup of tea, and watching them carefully. Sita bowed in greeting at the sight, followed by Aang. </p><p> </p><p>“Good morning, Master Pakku,” They chorused before straightening their posture. Pakku bowed his head in response. </p><p> </p><p>“You may begin your lesson, Sita,” He sipped his tea before continuing. “I shall watch from here and only interfere if necessary.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita nodded in understanding and guided Aang towards the center of the training plaza, where they both entered their stances and began their breathing, followed by stretches, which they repeated after the arrival of the sun. Once that was over with, Aang exited his stance and grinned at the sight of Katara walking over with a shy smile. While he went over to greet her, Pakku approached Sita. </p><p> </p><p>“Your control over your firebending is impressive,” He complimented as she extinguished the flames she had just been working with. “How far are you in mastering the nine official sets?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve mastered them all,” She admitted while stretching one last time for good measure. “My teacher was adamant that I master all of them, as well as supplementary techniques of course.”</p><p> </p><p>Pakku nodded appreciatively. “Then I suppose we should all be referring to you as Master Sita,” He pointed out. Sita’s eyes widened and she looked over at him. </p><p> </p><p>“But-”</p><p> </p><p>“No buts,” He interjected. “You are a skilled bender, and have shown great respect in your short time here. I will not disrespect you by only using your name when by all rights you should be addressed as Master Sita.’</p><p> </p><p>Sita stared at him in shock for several seconds before a smile spread across her face. “Thank you, Master Pakku,” She bowed to him as she spoke, a bow that Pakku returned. </p><p> </p><p>“Not a problem, Master Sita,” He replied with the smallest and slyest of smiles. </p><p> </p><p>The two masters straightened and moved to continue their conversation, but were unfortunately interrupted. </p><p> </p><p>“Master Pakku!” Aang shouted. Pakku’s eye twitched as he looked over at the Avatar, only to frown at the sight of the figure next to him. “This is my friend, Katara. The one I told you about?” Aang explained. </p><p> </p><p>Sita watched as Pakku looked between the two benders with a scowl. Finally, he crossed his arms over his chest and walked over to them. </p><p> </p><p>“I'm sorry, I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a woman,” He began. Aang and Katara frowned in confusion, causing his scowl to deepen. “In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang and Sita froze, surprise running through their minds as the both of them stared at the waterbending master. Katara, however, was shaking with clenched fists and eyes flashing with a fury that would send many a man running for the hills. She stormed over until she was a mere foot away from Pakku. </p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean you won't teach me?” She demanded, her voice shrill as she spoke. “I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!”</p><p> </p><p>Pakku raised an eyebrow as he stared at her, unimpressed by the fit she was pitching. “No,” He declared. </p><p> </p><p>Sita watched as Katara only grew angrier. “But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe!” She pointed out with a harsh gesture to the city that sprawled around them. </p><p> </p><p>“Here, the women learn from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal,” Pakku explained, his voice dull and drawling as he addressed the young woman from the Southern Water Tribe. “I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student, despite your bad attitude.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't want to heal, I want to fight!” She shouted, her arms coming down and in turn forcing water to splash loudly in large basins of ice. Pakku sent her another unimpressed glance.</p><p> </p><p>“I can see that,” He admitted. “But our tribe has customs, rules. Rules that forbid women to learn the art of combat from myself or any other waterbending master in this tribe.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita looked over at Aang, and groaned internally as his own anger rose to meet Katara’s. Meanwhile, Katara herself looked to be about two seconds away from decking Pakku straight across the face, despite him being several inches taller than her. </p><p> </p><p>Instead, she settled to continue shouting at him. “Well, your rules stink!”</p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded, provoking Sita to rub her temples and shake her head slowly. “Yeah, they're not fair! If you won't teach Katara, then…” He trailed off while Sita looked up to stare at him with a raised eyebrow. </p><p> </p><p>Pakku’s eyes held a challenging gleam as he turned to Aang. “Then what?” He snapped. </p><p> </p><p>“Then I won't learn from you!”</p><p> </p><p>Sita felt her jaw drop open and anger begin to build in her chest as Aang turned on his heel and began storming away. Remembering Arnook’s orders, she took off after him and grabbed his ear, forcing him to turn towards her with a yelp of pain. </p><p> </p><p>“What was that for?!” He demanded. Sita glared at him, her eyes resembling molten gold with the fury held within them. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you an idiot?!” She shouted. Aang stared at her, stunned. “You have one shot here, Aang, one shot to work with an acclaimed master, and you’re about to throw it all away.”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s being sexist!” Aang exclaimed. “How can I learn from him?!”</p><p> </p><p>Sita pinched the bridge of her nose while Katara and Pakku watched the two of them argue. “You learn by keeping your mouth shut and going to your lessons,” Aang opened his mouth to protest, but Sita cut him off. “Aang, you don’t have the luxury of being able to choose another teacher in this case. This is your only option to learn waterbending, which, in case you forgot, you need to do to save the world.”</p><p> </p><p>“What about Katara?! She deserves to learn just as much as I do,” He claimed while pointing at the girl in question. “You’re a girl too! How can you let him do this to her?”</p><p> </p><p>“Aang, I have no pull in this situation,” She reminded him. “I was lucky enough not to be thrown in jail, I’m not about to endanger that privilege now.”</p><p> </p><p>“You should still try! Katara is your friend, and he,” He pointed harshly at Pakku, “Is keeping her from learning. You should be doing everything to give her that opportunity.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sita’s right, Aang,” Katara suddenly interjected. Aang’s eyes widened and looked over at her in shock. </p><p> </p><p>“Katara-”</p><p> </p><p>“No. Sita’s right, you need to learn waterbending and we can’t risk anyone’s safety right now,” Tears stung her eyes at the admission. “We’ll figure out how to make this work once we’re done here.”</p><p> </p><p>With that, Katara took her leave and went back to the house where Sokka was still sleeping, leaving Sita and Aang with Pakku. Once their friend was out of sight, the two teenagers turned back to him, one furious and the other torn between understanding and a fury of her own. Pakku smirked at Aang as he walked over while Sita moved to take a seat and watch from a block of ice. </p><p> </p><p>“Why don't we get started, then?” He drawled, his arms coming up before Aang could react. SPLASH.</p><p> </p><p>Aang coughed as a blast of water slammed him into the ground. His training had begun. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>When nightfall arrived, Sita decided that despite the rough training Pakku had subjected him to, Aang still needed to practice his firebending. Thankfully, Pakku had not had any issues with this, but Aang was an entirely different story. His bending acted up, his mood was downright awful to the point where Sita had to scold him almost constantly, and by the end of their training neither of them were in the mood to be near each other. </p><p> </p><p>And so, as they had to walk together in order to obey the Chief’s conditions, the two of them returned to the house in complete silence. When they arrived, Katara looked up with a sad smile. </p><p> </p><p>“How was training?” She asked, expecting an exciting tale from the both of them. Instead, her eyes widened as Sita stormed off to one of the official bedrooms and slammed the door behind her. Aang wasn’t much better, having flopped on the floor with a glare directed in Sita’s general vicinity. “Not good?” She guessed. </p><p> </p><p>Aang shook his head. “Not good,” He agreed, his voice seeping with bitterness. </p><p> </p><p>Katara sighed and scooched over to look down at him. “Are you still angry about this morning?” She asked. </p><p> </p><p>“What happened this morning?” Aang and Katara looked up as Sokka entered the house, finally back from training with Arnook’s warriors. </p><p> </p><p>“Pakku won’t teach me because I’m a girl,” Katara explained, wincing at the anger that took over Sokka’s features. “But we’ll talk about that in a bit. How’s warrior training going?”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka groaned and aimed a well-timed kick at his bag, sending it across the room. Aang’s eyes widened and he sat up to talk to him more easily. </p><p> </p><p>“That bad?” He asked, sympathizing with the guy. Sokka shook his head. </p><p> </p><p>“No, it's Princess Yue. I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me, and the next, she's telling me to get lost,” He ranted. Aang nodded slowly in response while Katara concealed her smile at her brother’s plight by looking away. “So, Pakku seriously won’t teach you?”</p><p> </p><p>Katara nodded. “Women can’t learn how to fight, only to heal,” She elaborated. Sokka scowled and flopped onto a sofa. </p><p> </p><p>“I bet that didn’t go over well,” He said. “Where’s Sita by the way? I thought she had to stick with you or risk getting arrested.”</p><p> </p><p>“She went in the bedroom,” Aang muttered, glaring at the door to said room. Sokka raised an eyebrow. </p><p> </p><p>“You two get into a fight or something?” He wondered. Aang growled and looked back up at the ceiling. </p><p> </p><p>“Sita didn’t stick up for Katara and yelled at me about how I need to do this despite him being a sexist pig,” He ranted. Much to his surprise, however, Sokka barely reacted. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, yeah, she’s not exactly in a great position to be yelling at people,” He pointed out. “Besides, why don't you just teach her, Aang?”</p><p> </p><p>Katara’s eyes widened. “Why didn't I think of that?” Aang sat up to look at her as she grinned with excitement. “At night, you can teach me whatever moves you learn from Master Pakku! That way, you have someone to practice with, and I get to learn waterbending! Everyone's happy!”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s one problem with that,” Aang frowned as he spoke. “Sita has to come with us, or she’ll get arrested.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not if we’re careful,” Aang raised an eyebrow, “As long as we don’t get caught, they can’t prove that you weren’t with her.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka looked over at them with a worried expression. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He asked, his voice tinted with anxiety. “Getting Sita stuck in jail is not exactly something we want.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I don’t want to learn waterbending while Katara doesn’t,” Aang shot back. “So I guess we’ll just have to be very careful.”</p><p> </p><p>Before Sokka could respond to that, Katara leaped to her feet and pulled on her coat while Aang moved to stand and walk over to the door. Within minutes the two of them were gone, leaving him alone with Sita and a prayer the two of them wouldn’t be found out. </p><p> </p><p>Those prayers ended up being for naught, as Sokka and Sita were awoken at dawn by Arnook’s men coming to arrest Sita for disobeying the Chief. Sita stared at them in shock as they placed manacles on her wrist again. </p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?!” She shouted. The leader of the group, a man named Aput, yanked on the chain between her wrists and forced her to follow him. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka raced after them as they dragged Sita out into the cold morning air. “Hey! Let her go!”</p><p> </p><p>“Save it for the Chief,” Aput snapped at them. “We found the Avatar and your sister practicing waterbending, and without the fugitive in their company.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Sita gasped. She looked over at the house, “But, I didn’t know they’d left! I’m innocent here!”</p><p> </p><p>“She is! Please, she had no idea they had left,” Sokka attempted to explain as he followed them to the palace. Aput scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“Again, save it for the chief,” He repeated with a sneer. Sita’s eyes stung as they continued to lead her away, humiliation building within her as they climbed the steps to the great hall. </p><p> </p><p>Inside, Aang and Katara avoided the Chief’s eyes as well as Pakku’s as they looked over at the door nervously, worry for Sokka and Sita ever-present in their expressions. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Captain Aput striding in, Sita stumbling behind them with tears welling in her eyes. Aang felt his heart clench. </p><p> </p><p>“Sita!” He called out, his eyes widening when she avoided his gaze, her eyes locked on the floor. “Sita, I’m so sor-”</p><p> </p><p>“Shut up, Aang,” Sokka muttered as he walked over to him and Katara. Aang flinched and watched as the soldiers brought Sita before the Chief. </p><p> </p><p>For what felt like hours, Chief Arnook stared down at Sita, who refused to meet his gaze as she fought back the tears that wanted to slip out. He then looked over at Aang, Katara and Sokka, and noted the guilty expressions residing in the eyes of the first two. A sigh escaped him as he looked back down at the firebender. </p><p> </p><p>“Sita,” He called out, his brows furrowing as her shoulders shook. “Sita.” She slowly raised her gaze to his, her entire body trembling now. “Do you know why you have been brought here?” He asked, his voice turning gentle as he addressed the clearly shaken girl. </p><p> </p><p>Aang watched with an overwhelming sensation of shame as Sita nodded once. </p><p> </p><p>“I was told,” She took a deep, shuddering breath as she fought back a wave of fearful sobs, “I was told that Aang and Katara were practicing their waterbending illegally by Captain Aput.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, they were,” Arnook confirmed, “And you were not with the Avatar, which means you broke one of the conditions I made in return for your lack of imprisonment. Do you deny this?”</p><p> </p><p>Katara’s heart broke as Sita sniffled and reached up to wipe her eyes, her body still shaking as she shook her head no. </p><p> </p><p>“I do not deny it, Chief Arnook,” She admitted. The Chief opened his mouth to respond, but his eyes widened when Pakku rose from his seat. </p><p> </p><p>“If I may, your highness,” Arnook allowed Pakku to continue, “Having spoken to her and observed her behavior today, I do not believe Master Sita was compliant in the Avatar’s plan to teach his friend in secret,” His gaze slipped to Sita, “Am I correct in this belief?”</p><p> </p><p>Sita nodded desperately. “It is true, your highness. When we returned to the house after training, I went immediately to my room to sleep, I was not present whenever Aang decided to teach Katara in secret, nor was I present when he decided to leave.”</p><p> </p><p>Chief Arnook’s eyes widened in surprise. “Avatar Aang,” The airbender’s eyes snapped to him. “Is this true? Did you leave Sita despite knowing the conditions I had placed forth as well as train your friend in waterbending, illegally?”</p><p> </p><p>Aang bowed his head in shame and stepped away from his friends. “It’s true,” He admitted. “I was angry at Sita for not trying to help Katara learn from Pakku this morning, and I let that cloud my judgment.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita stared at Aang, her eyes wide and sad as she processed his reasoning. Behind her, Chief Arnook let out a sigh that forced her attention back to him. </p><p> </p><p>“I apologize, Sita,” Her eyes widened, “You will be released immediately, and I am also lifting that restriction in light of Master Pakku’s defense of your character. You may return to the guest house while I address the next matter, or you may remain. The choice is yours.”</p><p> </p><p>She nodded once and bowed to Arnook. “Thank you, your highness, this kindness is greatly appreciated,” She whispered, relief filling her body as Aput came over and removed her manacles. Sita then turned to Pakku and bowed once again. “Thank you as well, Master Pakku, for coming to my defense.”</p><p> </p><p>Pakku bowed in response. “It was no trouble, Master Sita,” He assured her. “I apologize as well for any emotional duress you have experienced tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>Sita thanked him once more before turning on her heel and crossing the floor to Sokka, who quickly checked her over before pulling him to stand next to her. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” He asked softly. “Do you want to go back to the house?”</p><p> </p><p>She shook her head. “No, I’ll stay here,” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to go back there alone.”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded in understanding, he wouldn’t go back to a place he was just dragged from by soldiers alone either. With a sigh, he reached down and grabbed her hand to squeeze it reassuringly. Next to him, Katara leaned over. </p><p> </p><p>“Sita-”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t,” The firebender snapped, anger starting to come through now that her fear was fading. “Don’t you dare, Katara.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara flinched and looked away guiltily while Arnook sighed once more and looked at Aang. </p><p> </p><p>“Now we must address the incident with Master Pakku, yourself, and your friend,” He explained. Aang nodded slowly and tried his best not to look over at Sita as Arnook continued. “Avatar Aang, you knew the teaching of waterbending to women in our tribe is restricted solely to healing, yet you went against this and in turn were removed as Master Pakku’s student.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, your highness,” Aang replied, his voice full of shame and regret. “And I am so sorry I did so. It was wrong of me to be so disrespectful.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Chief Arnook!” He froze and gaped as Katara stormed over to stand next to him. “Please, I beg you, do not let Aang be punished for this. I was the one who encouraged him to break the rules, so he shouldn’t take the blame.”</p><p> </p><p>They watched as Arnook pinched the bridge of his nose with frustration. “What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?”</p><p> </p><p>Katara nodded eagerly while Sita watched her in dumbfounded amazement tinted with anger and Sokka joined Aang in gaping at his sister. “Yes... please!” She begged. </p><p> </p><p>Arnook looked between Pakku and Katara before sighing. “I suspect he might change his mind, if you swallow your pride and apologize to him,” He decided. Everyone’s eyes moved between Pakku and Katara as the latter stiffened. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” She eventually spat. Pakku raised an eyebrow at her and watched as she stared at him with irritation in her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“I'm waiting, little girl,” He drawled after a few seconds passed. Katara’s eyes narrowed and her hands clenched into fists. Finally, she growled with frustration. </p><p> </p><p>“No.” Her friends gasped in shock. “No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!” She screamed as she raised her arms and brought them down in a rage, forcing two pots of ice to shatter. </p><p> </p><p>Aang inched closer to her nervously. “Uhhh ... Katara?” He attempted to placate her, but she was too far gone. Katara jabbed a finger at Pakku. </p><p> </p><p>“I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me,” She snarled before storming from the hall and going out to the training grounds, removing her coat as she did so. Behind her, Sita, Sokka and Aang watched her leave with stunned expressions before turning back to the Chief. </p><p> </p><p>“I'm sure she didn't mean that,” Aang tried, earning an eye roll from Sokka and a scoff from Sita that made him wince. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I think she did,” He argued before shaking his head. “C’mon Sita, let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang watched as Sokka led Sita out from the hall, shame rising within him again as she wiped her eyes again and sniffled while walking. </p><p> </p><p>ATLA</p><p> </p><p>Katara looked up as Sokka and Sita walked over with Aang trailing behind her, a myriad of expressions on the faces as she readied herself for the fight she had just instigated. As they approached, Sita broke away from the two boys and took a seat on the ice while Sokka stormed over. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you crazy, Katara? First getting Sita arrested and now this?! You're not going to win this fight!” He shouted, anger wafting off of his in waves. Katara turned away from him and chucked her coat out of the ring. </p><p> </p><p>“I know! I don't care if I lose!” She snapped back. Sokka spluttered in response while Aang rushed over. </p><p> </p><p>“Katara, you don't have to do this for me. I can find another teacher,” He tried, holding his hands up peacefully as he moved to her side. Katara scoffed. </p><p> </p><p>“I'm not doing it for you! Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!” She paused as Pakku exited the palace and made his way over to her. Her lips curled into a smile. “So, you decided to show up?” Her smile dropped out as Pakku walked right past her to his crowd of students. “Aren't you going to fight?” She demanded.</p><p> </p><p>Pakku scoffed and glared at her. “Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong,” He sneered before turning away. </p><p> </p><p> Katara saw red. Her fist tightened, sending two water whips that struck the back of Pakku;’s head with alarming force. He paused in his step and turned back to her with a gleam in his eyes that struck unease into the hearts of her friends. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine. You want to learn to fight so bad? Study closely!” </p><p> </p><p>With a loud splash, he bent two streams of water from nearby pools and sent them both at a charging Katara, who halted in her tracks. Pakku smirked at the sight and joined the two streams together, encircling both Katara and himself in a forceful ring of water. </p><p> </p><p>“Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!” He drawled. </p><p> </p><p>Katara growled in response and began to edge away from the ring before her arms came up and forced the water away, hitting Sokka with the resulting blast. Nonplussed, Pakku drew up a wall of solid ice in defense as Katara charged again, which sent her flying onto a nearby post. The ice melted with a rush of water, arming Pakku with a massive burst of water. He grinned and sent it at her, only for Katara to freeze her feet down and redirect the blast away.</p><p> </p><p>“You can't knock me down!” She screamed furiously, much to the delight of the growing crowd that had gathered to watch the fight. </p><p> </p><p>“Go, Katara!” Aang cheered, the fight helping to distract him from Sita, who had continued to ignore him. </p><p> </p><p>The crowd gave a faint cheer for Katara, who quickly jumped from the post and charged at Pakku, who simply erected another wall of ice. This time, however, she turned it to liquid and leaped forward, forcing the water to shoot from the melted wall in blasts. Pakka rolled his eyes and dodged effortlessly while his arm came behind him to form a water whip that quickly struck Katara in the ribs and sent her flying into a large pool. </p><p> </p><p>Aang winced while the crowd gave a large round of applause for Pakku and Katara tried to force herself out from the pool. Once she was steady, she summoned a small pillar of ice with the flick of her wrist. Her palms then splayed across the top of the pillar and flew out, sending discs of ice soaring through the air at Pakku, who blocked them with relative ease using only his wrists. Katara growled and leaped from the pool before sending a stream of water at him. </p><p> </p><p>Pakku, however, had his own pool nearby and grabbed her stream with one of his own, merging them into a larger stream of water, which he sent back to her at full force. Katara gasped as the water washed over her and sent her back several feet. She took a moment to breathe before rising suddenly and sending two snow pillars down at him which Pakku quickly turned to a dusty mist of snow. The mist cleared a moment later, revealing Pakku appraising Katara with a false smile. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, I'm impressed. You are an excellent waterbender,” He complimented mockingly. Katara glared at him. </p><p> </p><p>“But you still won't teach me, will you?” She demanded. </p><p> </p><p>“No,” Pakku admitted, his smile dropping to a scowl. </p><p> </p><p>Katara let out a scream of frustration before bending over sharply, sending a wave of ice at Pakku, who merely raised himself onto an ice pillar. His hands then swirled, liquefying the pillar, before he charged straight at Katara, who sent a powerful stream of water his way. Pakku scoffed and avoided the attack with ease, instead managing to freeze Katara's stream of water which he then slid across. Katara gasped as he surged past her and struck her across the back, sending her to the ground and slicing her mother’s necklace off of her neck. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t give up!” Aang shouted, desperation filling him as Katara gasped for air. </p><p> </p><p>Across from her, Pakku landed onto the rim of a pool, where he bent a tower of water into existence, one that surged upward until it hung above Katara’s head, causing her to pale. Katara quickly raised her hands, but she was too slow for Pakku. Before she could even attempt to fight back, Pakku had sent the water down in icy shards that trapped her in a freezing prison. Katara gasped and began to struggle while Pakku sighed and began to walk away. </p><p> </p><p>“This fight is over,” He murmured. Katara growled and thrashed between the shards of ice. </p><p> </p><p>“Come back here. I'm not finished yet!” She screamed. Pakku rolled his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, you are,” He paused as he stepped on something that wasn’t ice. He looked down and gasped at the sight of the pendant beneath his shoe and picked it up with wide eyes. This is my necklace…” He whispered. </p><p> </p><p>Katara felt white-hot fury course through her veins as this man claimed her grandmother’s and mother’s necklace as his own. “No, it's not. It's mine! Give it back!” She ordered. </p><p> </p><p>Pakku, however, seemed to not have heard her. He traced the designs with a shaking finger. “I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life…” He paused and his eyes shut with pain, “for Kanna.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka and Katara froze in shock at the mention of their grandmother’s name. A moment later, Katara dissolved the ice and stared at Pakku. “My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?”</p><p> </p><p>Aang watched as Pakku turned towards Katara with wide eyes. “You’re Kanna’s granddaughter?” He breathed out. His eyes slid to Sokka. “And you’re her grandson?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, she’s our father, Hakoda’s, mother,” Sokka answered coldly. “How do you know that’s her necklace?”</p><p> </p><p>“I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged,” Pakku explained. “I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her.”</p><p> </p><p>Pity entered Katara’s heart as she stared at the man her grandmother had left all those years ago. “But she didn't love you, did she?” Pakku’s face contorted with pain. “It was an arranged marriage. Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka stared at Pakku in shock, before a new sound distracted him. Behind him, Yue sobbed at Katara’s words and took off in a blur. He felt something inside him pushing him to follow. </p><p> </p><p>“Go get her.” He looked over at Aang as the airbender spoke. He looked back over at Katara and then at Sita, “Go, Sokka. We’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>And so, with his heart pounding excitedly, Sokka ran after Yue. Aang watched his friend leave with a small smile before turning to Pakku and Katara once more, who were now staring at each other intently. Finally, Pakku held out the necklace to her. </p><p> </p><p>“I,” Katara watched him carefully while putting her necklace back on. “I will teach you. For Kanna and the courage she passed down to you.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara gasped. “Really?” Pakku nodded. ‘Thank you so much, Master Pakku, I promise I won’t let you down.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang grinned as Katara bowed in respect, a bow that Master Pakku returned before they both straightened. </p><p> </p><p>“Lessons are just after sunrise,” Master Pakku looked past Katara’s shoulder. “That is if Master Sita will be conducting her lessons with Avatar Aang going forward.”</p><p> </p><p>Ice water filled Katara’s and Aang’s veins as they turned to face their friend, who had remained silent for the duration of the fight. Sita blinked at Pakku before her gaze slid to Katara and Aang. </p><p> </p><p>“Be ready for training just before sunrise,” She muttered before standing and making her way out of the plaza. “I will meet you here.” Aang opened his mouth to thank her, but Sita held up a hand. “Leave me be.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara paled as Sita walked past both of them, her face as hard as stone and just as unforgiving as she exited, leaving her worried and guilty friends in her wake. </p><p>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello again everyone! This chapter was one hell of a journey and I hope you enjoyed it, especially with all the details that came out about Sita's life before Jeong Jeong and the Gaang. Please let me know your thoughts and your predictions/questions about the story with a comment, I love to hear from you all!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Siege of the North Part One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The aftermath of the arrest, more training, and the Fire Navy arrives.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Aang awoke the next morning, he was disappointed yet unsurprised to see that Sita had already departed from the house for their lessons. For all of yesterday he had tried to apologize and for all of yesterday she had refused his efforts, even going so far as to give her training time that day to Pakku so as to chain him somewhere away from her. Aang sighed and sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then turned to Katara, who was also beginning to stir. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon Katara,” He mumbled while rubbing his eyes. “We gotta get up for our class.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara mumbled something under her breath while nodding sleepily. In response, Aang stood and stretched for a moment before making his way over to the door, noting the slightly brightening sky as sunrise drew closer. With a shiver, he pushed the door open and made his way out into the cold morning air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The walk to the training grounds was short, and when he arrived Sita and Master Pakku were both sitting on a bench of ice, cups of tea in hand. Aang took a deep breath and made his way over to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita looked up, her eyes sharp and cold while puffy around the outside. She set her cup down on the ice beneath her, never breaking eye contact as she reached behind her to pull out a set of ten candles. She rose from the ice and gestured for him to follow her to the center of the training ground. Aang took a deep breath and did as she bid, stopping just behind her as they reached the middle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You will be using your breath to adjust the size of the flames as your breathing exercise for the foreseeable future,” She explained as she set one of the candles down. “Start with one, I’ll add more as you progress.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded slowly and moved into his stance, only for Sita to grab his shoulders and force him into a sitting position with his legs crossed. He winced at the harshness of the motion and focused on the candle. With a snap of Sita’s fingers, it ignited. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Focus on the heat from the candle,” She murmured. “It is small, but you must be able to feel the smallest flame to have a hope of controlling an inferno.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita stepped away from Aang and moved to the other side of the candle, her eyes locked on him as she too sat down on the icy stone. Aang shivered and forced his eyes shut, focusing his entire mind on the flickering heat of the candle. His chest and stomach heaved with each deep breath, and his muscles thrummed with energy as each breath entered and left his body. He slowly opened his eyes a few minutes later and watched the flame as he took another breath. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The flame didn’t move. Aang’s brows furrowed. He exhaled and shook his head gently before inhaling. Once again, the flame didn’t move. Aang tried over and over again, adjusting his posture, his breath, anything he could think of. He looked up at Sita, who was watching him carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do it,” He mumbled. Sita quirked an eyebrow, unimpressed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can.” Aang scowled and opened his mouth to protest. “What is different about a candle compared to the sun?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang looked back down at the candle and then past Sita at the horizon, where the sun was beginning to peek out from above the dark ocean. “The candle is smaller,” He began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but think about something else,” Sita interjected. “Size is important, but what else matters alongside that factor?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched her student frown at the candle for several seconds. His mind raced behind his eyes, and his fingers drummed on his knees as he attempted to think it through. Finally, he looked up at her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Being able to feel the heat,” He paused as Sita nodded encouragingly. “The sun is so large that it can be far away and I can still feel it, but the candle,” His eyes widened and a large smile spread across his face. “Is small so I need to be closer!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Sita allowed a small smile to appear while nodding in response. “Yes. Proximity, being able to feel the heat, is incredibly important for beginning firebenders.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” Aang scooched closer to the flame and smiled as he felt the slightest brush of warmth against his skin. “Sit here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded. “Yes, stay there,” She stood from her place. “As you continue, add more candles as needed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s smile fell. “You’re not going to-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, you don’t need me to sit next to you for this,” She took a deep breath and looked back out at the horizon. “Now get started, you don’t have long before your lesson with Master Pakku.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang began to protest, but he never got the chance as Sita walked away to a spot in the plaza about twenty feet away. He watched as she took a deep breath and entered her stance on an angle, her right foot in front and her left one behind her, before pivoting on her right foot while bringing her left above her head. His eyes widened as a rush of flames exited her foot in a curve above her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita shivered as the heat from her flames wrapped around her and even spread throughout her muscles as her leg continued its arc over her head. Finally, her pivot was complete and her left foot returned to the ground with a massive rush of flames that shot out in front of her. She exhaled and watched her flames dissipate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment later, flames wrapped around her hands. Sita smiled to herself and turned on her left foot, her right hand extending in front and her left behind to form a circle of flames around her as she moved across the plaza in circular motions. Her hands pulled back to her sides before thrusting out, and with a loud whoosh the circle expanded outwards in a blast of white. Sita smirked and pulled her hands back, forcing the circle to suddenly disappear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched in awe as Sita continued, his candles forgotten in the wake of the flames exploding from her body and dying in the cold air of the North Pole. Every move was perfectly structured, with flexible limbs strong enough to hold each changing position and the breath support necessary to support an inferno. Suddenly, she stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can feel your attention wandering,” She turned to glare at Aang as she spoke. Her student flushed and avoided her gaze. “Get back to work, now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Sita,” He mumbled, his gaze settling back on the flame.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Inside him, a pang of anger stabbed his chest amidst a sea of guilt towards his instructor, one that he silenced immediately. He had no right to be angry at her, not after what he did, and especially not over her being rightfully angry at him. Minutes passed, and he managed to get up to four candles before Sita stopped her own exercises for the last time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Pakku,” Sita turned and walked over to the man as the sun climbed higher in the sky and many young Water Tribe boys began to approach the plaza. “I believe it’s time for my lesson to end.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakku stood from his bench, his cup of tea empty now. “Yes, Master Sita, I believe it is. Will you be staying to watch today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita shook her head no. “I haven’t been able to explore the rest of the tribe as of yet, so I’ll be doing that instead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfectly reasonable,” He agreed. The two looked over at Aang as he gathered his candles. “Pupil Aang!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang jumped in surprise and looked over at them. “Yes, Master Pakku?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where is your friend?” Pakku asked. “I will not delay my lessons further than I already have to accommodate your firebending lessons.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before Aang could respond, Katara ran over from the crowd of boys. “I’m here, Master Pakku!” She smiled at the man, a smile that faltered when he didn’t return it. “I wasn’t late, I’ve been with your other students for the last few minutes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakku nodded and turned back to Sita, who flashed him a smile that he returned. “I shall return at sunset for my student, have a good day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Sita walked away to the edge of the courtyard without another word to either Aang or Katara and grinned at the sight of Sokka waiting there for her. Sokka grinned back and threw an arm around her shoulders as they walked away from the plaza. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so this continued for two weeks, until Aang was sure he was going to tear out his non-existent hair. Sita still refused to speak to Aang and Katara outside of when she gave Aang his lessons, and was only on good terms with Sokka, who refused to try to change her mind on the matter no matter how many times Aang asked him to. Katara was no better either, her understanding of the firebender’s treatment burning away to a wave of bitter anger at the lack of resolution.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, it came to a head in their latest firebending lesson. Sita raised an eyebrow as Aang stood in front of her, his chin raised defiantly as he refused to sit for his class. To their left, Pakku watched them carefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is something wrong, Aang?” Sita wondered, her eyes narrowing as her body tensed in a response to his non-verbal challenge. Her pupil scoffed softly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, there is,” He took a step closer, his brows furrowing when she took a step back. “Those are the only words you’ve said to me outside of your instructions for the last two weeks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s fingers locked into fists as her eyes morphed from narrowed to a burning glare. “Would you prefer I stop giving you instructions?” She asked mockingly. “That I leave you blind to your goals?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang let out a soft growl. “I want you to start speaking to me again!” He shouted. His legs guided him another step closer, forcing Sita back further. “I want my friend back, not just my firebending teacher!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Funny, I thought friends didn’t get their friend arrested,” Sita shot back, her feet slowly sliding into her stance as Aang’s body vibrated with anger and shame. “And I thought friends would have more patience than this when their friend was in pain.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me!” Aang shouted, his hands coming up and then slamming down at his side. Unlike Sita, he didn’t notice the small flames that flicked out from his fingers as he did so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s hands came up as a defense as Aang’s tirade continued. She felt worry swirling in her gut as flames hovered around the skin of his fingers. Her body held strong and her senses locked on the heat of his flames, sending a shiver down her spine when she realized how strong they were. In her periphery, she could see Pakku watching her worriedly, as well as Sokka and Katara. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just, please, talk to me!” Aang screamed, his hands shooting up into the air. His eyes widened a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gasped as a torrent of flames exited his hands, and flinched away with Sokka. Aang’s eyes filled with horror as the flames spread outward. Pakku quickly bent some water into the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then, the flames were suddenly channeled out of the air in a spiraling funnel. The four of them watched in shock as Sita took several steps backward, her hands swirling in small circles and beckoning the flames into her grasp. Within seconds, the flames rolled in her hands like a writhing sphere of serpents. Her golden eyes were sharp as daggers as she looked up from the flames and at Aang. Then, in one fluid motion, she pivoted away and thrust her hands outward, sending a controlled blast of fire into the air that dissipated within seconds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the Moon Spirit, I’m too old for this,” Pakku muttered as he watched the firebending master turn back to her pupil. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka swallowed. “I know Sita’s a strong firebender and all,” He started. “But dear god that was intense.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
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</p><p>
  <span>“And all she did was channel Aang’s fire away,” Katara pointed out weakly. “Imagine what she could do in combat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s shoulders shook with anger as she took quick and calculated steps over to Aang, her hands quickly fisting into the fabric of his tunic and yanking him closer till their noses almost touched. “You are rash,” She whispered harshly, “You are quick to frustration, and you can be the most petulant boy I have ever met, Avatar Aang.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang swallowed and fought to look away from Sita’s burning gaze, but it was impossible. “Sita-” He stammered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” She snapped. “You did something horrible to me,” Her eyes stung with bitter tears and she shook him by the tunic, “Do you understand that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She watched her student nod quickly, taking care not to smack his nose on hers as he did so. Sita gave a sharp sigh in response and shoved him away, her grip on his tunic releasing as she did so. Aang stumbled back and watched her worriedly. She reached up and rubbed her temples for a moment, and finally took a deep breath and looked back at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you ever, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>, do anything like that again,” Her voice was slow and dark, like honey, “I will have no part in your training, nor your friendship, nor will I be your acquaintance.” Aang swallowed. “Do you understand me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded earnestly. “I promise, Sita,” He vowed desperately. “I will never hurt you again, not like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as she studied him carefully for several moments before she opened her arms slowly. His eyes widened and a wide smile spread across his face. Sita allowed herself to smile as well and laughed as Aang ran over and scooped her up in a hug. She blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and hugged him tightly before they parted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I forgive you, then,” Sita decided, smiling up at Aang as Katara and Sokka slowly walked over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang beamed in response and quickly reached out to ruffle her hair before she swatted his hands. Her gaze then shifted to the two Water Tribe siblings, specifically the sister. Katara shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she stood under the firebender’s gaze. Eventually, she raised her own blue eyes to the golden ones Sita possessed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry, Sita,” She murmured. “I was selfish, and it was wrong of me to suggest something that would get you in so much trouble. Can you forgive me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara’s gaze never left Sita’s, and in doing so she caught the first glimpse of a smile on Sita’s face before the firebender’s arms were around her in a hug. A soft, relieved laugh escaped Katara’s lips as her own arms wrapped around Sita and squeezed her once before pulling away. Behind all of them, Sokka let out a loud cheer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finally!” He shouted. “I thought you guys were </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to make up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita rolled her eyes as Katara pulled away and sent a blast of snow his way, thwapping her brother in the stomach and sending Sita and Aang into a fit of giggles. Sokka scowled at them but soon went back to smiling along with his friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re all quite finished,” Pakku suddenly piped up. “I believe it would be best to proceed with your waterbending lessons, Pupil Aang and Pupil Katara.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Aang tried to protest, feeling just a little guilty now for acting up and wasting Sita’s lesson time, Sita shook her head and whispered to him that it was fine. After all, she could always take some extra time at sunset to train him if he wanted to. So, feeling a little better, Aang walked over to the rest of the students with Katara while Sita went over to sit and watch from a bench. Meanwhile, Sokka departed for his training and to explore the possibility of seeing Princess Yue once again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A week later, as Pakku began his lessons for the morning, Sita couldn’t help but watch with fascination as the pupils all bent the water to their whim. It was certainly different from firebending, there was less need for firm control with an element that didn’t spread on its own in an attempt to devour its surroundings. However, there was still a beauty and grace to the smooth and graceful movements that Katara and Aang practiced so diligently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was not able to marvel at the grace and beauty for long, though, as Pakku decided that it would be good for Katara to do several rounds of sparring. In fact, she fought against every single student, defeating them with ease, until only a boy named Sangok and Aang himself remained. Sita leaned forward as she watched Katara study the boy in front of her with determination. Oppositely, Sangok looked as if he might wet himself as he shook nervously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Sangok summoned a globule of water as large as the pots of ice that surrounded the plaza. Sita frowned as the boy quickly froze it into an iceball, and fired it at Katara. She shook her head slowly and leaned back, her previous excitement now dulled by boredom as it had been with each other round of sparring. As she expected, Katara was quick to melt the iceball and, while pivoting harshly, bent a wave of water at him. Sita sighed as Sangok let out a yelp as the wave approached. Then, just as it collided with him, it froze, thus suspending Sangok in an icy trap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mirroring the firebender, Pakku sighed disappointedly before shooting Sangok a displeased glare. “Nice try, Pupil Sangok,” He ignored the boy as he tried to free himself, “A couple of more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita snickered at the comment and watched as Pakku melted the ice with ease. Sangok plummeted to the ground easily, dazed and confused, while Pakku turned to the rest of his students. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?” Pakku’s gaze moved over the several students sitting by the sidelines, all of them tired and unamused. He sighed and looked back at his prized pupil. “Katara, you've advanced more quickly than any student I've ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work, you can accomplish anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara beamed brightly at his words, her smile only widening when Sita flashed her two thumbs-up in congratulations. Pakku’s expression, however, faded from the look of pride to one of irritation as his gaze moved to Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Raw talent alone is not enough,” He continued, earning a hum from Katara as her teacher walked over to the Avatar, who was playing with Momo. “Pupil Aang!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang jumped slightly and looked over. “Yes, Master Pakku?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A mocking smile appeared on Pakku’s face as he gestured to the plaza. “Care to step into the sparring circle?” His gaze snapped to Momo with disdain. “I figure since you've found time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered waterbending.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched with a resigned sort of amusement as Aang leaped from the ground using airbending and smiled at Pakku. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out,” He urged before twisting around, forcing a pile of snow to mold to his body in the form of a snowman. Aang grinned from beneath the snow, only to grunt as Momo pushed him over. “Pretty good, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pakku and Katara said nothing, merely exchanged looks of disdain, before something else distracted them. Sita’s eyes widened as snow tumbled down from the sky, coating the ground and everything it touched. That wasn’t what she was distracted by, though. No, that would be the color of the snow falling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara paled as ebony flakes drifted to the ground, staining pristine snow an ashy grey. Sita leaped to her feet, running away from the benches to the edge of the plaza, her heartbeat thrumming in her ears as she did so. Behind her, Aang and Katara were quick to follow as well as quick to stop at the edge as they stared out at the horrifying sight before them. Sita’s hands clenched into fists. Katara’s eyes stung with tears. Aang’s eyes widened in a disgusted horror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In front of them, dotting the surface of the ocean, was an entire Fire Nation fleet. Sita whipped around to Master Pakku, whose own eyes were narrowed in fury at the sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to see Chief Arnook, now,” She stated, earning a firm nod from the waterbending master. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka stood between Aang and Katara as they faced Chief Arnook, with Sita on Aang’s other side and watching the Chief as he began his speech. His face was stern and dark as he addressed the high ranking officials of his tribe, as well as many warriors and citizens. On his right sat Princess Yue, a mask of severity in place on her delicate features. Opposite her, Master Pakku sat on Arnook’s right with a similar expression to that of his chief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep,” Arnook declared coolly, his expression never faltering despite the whispers that echoed from his people. “It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes drifted over the crowd, at the people that could very well die because of the Fire Nation’s onslaught. Suddenly, he looked down as Sita’s hand found his and squeezed it gently. He took a deep breath and forced himself to turn back to Arnook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But. they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits,” His hands came up, reaching up to the heavens, “Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cheers echoed from the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe, bouncing off the walls and floor of ice and filling the hall with a comforting cacophony of sound. Eventually, it calmed and Arnook was able to continue. “I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before any of his friends could say a thing, Sokka stepped forward. “Count me in!” He shouted firmly, his face set with an expression of pure determination.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara’s eyes widened in horror. This was her brother, arguably the only family she had since her father was off fighting, and her grandmother could pass on to the Spirit World any day now. He was all she had left when it came down to it. She reached out slightly, a lump forming in her throat from sheer fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka…” She breathed out, but her brother said nothing in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her heart cracked slightly under the pressure of this war, and of everything it had taken from her over the years. Katara felt her arm fall back to her side, limp, as she watched other men of the Northern Water Tribe join Sokka to stand before the Chief. Tears stung her bright blue eyes as Arnook stared down at the cluster of men. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be warned, many of you will not return,” With a heavy sigh, he brought out a small dish with a red paint within. “Come forward to receive my mark, if you accept the task.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita said nothing to Aang or Katara as Arnook painted three red marks with his fingers on each man’s forehead, including Sokka’s. She forced herself to remain quiet as her own worry wrapped its claws around her heart and squeezed, sending pain through her body as thoughts of Sokka being injured or killed entered her mind. Soon, Sokka walked back over to them, a grim expression on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you insane?” Katara demanded in a choked whisper, her eyes flashing with barely suppressed anger. “You could die!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not here, Katara,” Sita murmured as Sokka opened his mouth to retort. “Sokka has made his choice, and it is disrespectful to question it in front of the Chief he has decided to serve.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka looked over at her and nodded once before hugging each of them goodbye and walking away with the troop of warriors. They did not have long to revel in their conflicted emotions toward Sokka’s choice, though, as Arnook addressed them personally a second later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Katara, Avatar Aang, Sita,” He descended the stairs as the rest of the people in the hall went off to mobilize for battle. The trio looked up at him with tense expressions. “Come with me, I shall require your assistance as well with those of us remaining here to defend the tribe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Chief Arnook,” They chorused while bowing to Arnook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next day, Sita took a deep breath as she stood beside Aang and Appa on the edge of the wall. They were all tense, worry for their safety in the upcoming mission tying their muscles into knots. In front of her, a massive fog surrounded the fleet they knew was waiting to attack the Northern Water Tribe. Behind them, Katara and Arnook stood with the other warriors on the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do this,” She reminded him, seeing Aang’s body only growing stiffer and reluctance mounting in his eyes. “I’ll handle everything, just say the word.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shook his head. “I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people,” His face morphed into an expression of pure determination. “I'm going to make a difference this time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita watched him for a second more before turning her attention back to the horizon, an example that he followed as well. Silence fell over them, leaving them to bask in the heat of the morning sun, a heat that fed the flames in Sita’s soul better than the driest wood in the Fire Nation. Aang mirrored her motions while also taking deep breaths to feed his inner fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was only when something rose out from the fog that their peace was broken. Sita moved into her stance, her hands coming up while Aang adjusted his grip on his staff. The firebender paled, however, when she realized the object careening toward them was a fireball. Aang took a step to the side as Sita quickly thrust her hands out in front of her and sent out a jet of fire, one that hit the fireball and sent it careening off-course and into the ocean. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get on Appa!” She ordered. Aang nodded and leaped atop the bison while Sita followed seconds later. In their wake, waterbenders rushed to the edge of the wall to prepare their defenses. “Now, let’s take out some Fire Nation ships.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yip yip!” Aang cried out. Sita stood next to Aang as they took off, the latter holding the reins while she maintained her balance by holding on to Appa’s horn. “What’s the plan, Sita?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Deflect as many fireballs as we can,” She began. “And try to take out the trebuchets on the ships. That’ll take out most of their long-distance attack power.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded once and narrowed his gaze as two more fireballs shot into the air. He ducked down as Sita sent out two more jets of fire, one from each hand, that slammed into the sides of the fireballs and sent them away from the wall. They looked down at the ship that sent them flying before sharing a glance and nodding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stay safe, okay?” Sita ordered. Aang said nothing, merely flashed her a smile and a thumbs-up before watching her leap from Appa to land on the ship below them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes raked over the various Fire Navy officers surrounding her, and a smirk appeared as she quickly conjured some flames and sent them flying at the officers. Some were blocked, highlighting who was a bender, and some hit their mark with terrifying precision. Then, just as several blasts were fired back at her, she threw herself onto her back and swung her legs around in a crescent motion, sending a curved blade of fire at the remaining men. Screams echoed around her as soldiers went down like pai-sho tiles on an unbalanced board. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Amateurs,” She muttered under her breath as she quickly dashed over to the trebuchet atop the deck of the ship. Behind her, more soldiers arrived on the deck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let her get away!” One soldier barked out. Sita whipped around at the sound and quickly threw up a shield of flames as several fire blasts shot towards her. “She’s a bender! Men, fire everything you’ve got!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The young woman waved them off dismissively as she dodged their attacks and quickly darted over to the trebuchet. She grinned as her eyes locked on the sling, a metal chain, and she quickly rolled under the beam to send a blast of fire at the chain. As her flames forced the metal of the chain to soften and melt, more officers approached. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s under the beam!” One shouted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t get to say anything else, however, as Sita’s foot shot out and sent a torrent of flames at his torso. Screams ripped from his throat as he was engulfed. His fellow officers stumbled away, horrified and stunned into place. They didn’t even know how to react when the chain of the sling snapped, leaving the potential fireball on the deck of the ship.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita moved out from the beam with ease, her slender figure aiding her in ways she couldn’t thank it enough for. Her eyes were sharp as she moved back out onto the open deck, back into vulnerable territory. There was a shout, followed by a burst of flame ripping through the air. It was useless, however, when Sita deflected it with ease before sending it right back and smothering three more officers with flames. Screams filled the air once again, but Sita ignored them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her shoes smacked lightly on the metal of the deck, giving just enough grip to let her climb up the beam to where the chain connecting it to the counterweight hovered. Sita winced as more flames flashed through the air, narrowly missing her and forcing her to stumble slightly. Her hand thrust out as five more blasts approached on her right, five blasts that soon converged into one before being sent streaking into the chain and melting it within seconds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One down, many more to go,” She remarked before leaping off the trebuchet and dashing over to the one on the other side of the deck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s going for the trebuchets!” The leading officer cried out desperately. “Stop her, men!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir!” The remaining officers shouted in response, their footsteps heavy on the deck as they chased her across it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s lips curved into an amused smile. “Let’s play, boys.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On another ship, Aang’s eyes widened as a tower of flames, whose height was almost as impressive as the length of the Fire Nation ship, erupted from where he knew Sita was. He couldn’t hold back the soft sound of awe if he tried, but he was soon distracted from it by the sound of a fireball whistling through the air. His arm extended with the staff in hand, sending a gust of wind into the side of the projectile that sent it careening into the trebuchet of another ship. From there, three more fireballs shot across the sky, only to be redirected once again. Aang let out a wince as his muscles began to burn a little from the exertion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Appa let out a roar as more blasts flew towards them, this time from other firebenders. Aang winced and forced himself to take a deep breath before releasing the reins and thrusting his hand out. His eyes widened as a larger jet of flames emerged from his hand and blocked the offensive blasts. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, he forced it to dissipate and took several shaky breaths. He shook his head and extended the wings of his glider while kneeling to pet Appa gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'll take it from here, boy,” He assured his companion before taking off while Appa ascended higher into the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wind whistled in his ears as he dove down in the glider, pinpointing Sita’s figure with ease as she leaped from one ship to another with flames beneath the soles of her shoes. Seconds later, he landed beside her with a grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Doing good?” He asked teasingly. Sita rolled her eyes and flashed him a cocky smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got two under my belt,” She bragged in response. “Let’s see if you can keep up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time day changed to evening, Aang was sure his arms were going to fall off, or his legs. One or the other, it had to be inevitable at that point. Beside him, standing on the deck of the twentieth ship they’d managed to get to, Sita's chest heaved with each breath while her hair stuck to her forehead and neck. They shared a look as firebenders charged towards them, and within seconds they were in the air with Sita clinging to his waist as he steered his glider away from the ships. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Appa!” Aang cried out as his grip weakened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Below him, Sita swung out her legs and sent several crescents of flames towards the officers before forcing flames out from her feet to propel them further away. Sweat dripped from her skin as she sent them flying through the air, no Appa in sight, until they suddenly dropped from the air and tumbled onto the ice of the wall surrounding the tribe. Aang gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs while Sita let out a yelp as she slid across the wall, almost sliding off one side of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang! Sita!” The two of them looked up at Katara’s shout, seeing concern shining on their friend’s face as she ran over with Princess Yue behind her. “What happened?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita forced herself up onto her knees while Aang struggled to roll over onto his stomach. Katara ran faster and crouched beside Aang worriedly while Yue watched from a distance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We took out twenty ships,” Katara looked up at Sita as she spoke, “Twenty ships and it barely put a dent in the fleet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded and finally managed to get himself to sit up, his entire body screaming in protest as he did so. “I can't do it... I can't do it,” He whispered sadly, his hands coming up to cup his skull. “There's just too many of them. I can't fight them all, even with Sita’s help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue’s eyes widened in horror and she rushed over. “But, you have to. You're the Avatar.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes narrowed. “He’s one man, Princess,” She stated firmly. “He’s one man going up against a fully-equipped Fire Nation fleet, and even with a firebending master alongside him it’s going to be difficult.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, we need him to-” Yue retorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Sita forced her aching body to stand. “Aang has done all that he can for right now,” Her eyes moved to her student. “He needs to have a session with a healer to soothe his body and then he needs to meditate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded in agreement and winced as Katara helped him up to his feet. “Thanks, Sita,” He mumbled. His eyes cast back, over his shoulder, to look at Yue. “I’m sorry, your highness, but my teacher is right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, the trio of benders walked off towards the palace. Behind them, Yue turned and watched as the Fire Nation fleet suddenly stopped firing before turning her gaze to the moon. A small smile appeared at the sight of its comforting glow, and with a grateful nod she soon turned and followed the benders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara winced as Aang cried out in pain amidst the healing session she’d only just begun to conduct. Beside them, Sita lay in a heap on the floor and soaked up the chill of the stone to soothe her aching muscles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Aang,” The waterbender mumbled as she forced his muscles to stretch out and contract. “But this is the only way we’ll be able to get you back on your feet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s arm extended a moment later and soon her hand found Aangs before clasping it gently. Her student looked over. “You did very well today,” She complimented. “I know you feel awful right now, but just know that the bending I saw you use today was excellent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s lips quirked into the smallest smile possible as Katara continued her work. “Thanks,” Another groan of pain, “Sita.” His fingers suddenly tightened around her hand. “Agni, this hurts.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m almost done,” Katara assured him. “I just need to get the leg muscles and then you can go and meditate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, what did you do when you got this sore?” Aang demanded with a glance at his teacher. Sita giggled in response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hot springs,” She advised. “They’re a gift from Agni, I swear.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her student winced once again as Katara withdrew her water from his right leg and moved to his left one. “Didn’t it take you forever to heal?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita rolled her eyes. “Of course it did, but soreness isn’t something new for me,” She reminded him. “I grew up without healers like Katara, so all I could do was sit in hot water and stretch till I fell over to get some relief.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That sounds awful,” Aang whined before his eyes widened as Katara pulled away from him. “We’re done?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded. “Yep, you’re all set-” Her eyes widened as Princess Yue approached them. “Your highness.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita and Aang stood up alongside Katara, only a small amount of residual soreness plaguing them now. Yue’s eyes flicked across each of them as they dipped into respectful bows. She let herself smile gently before tilting her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Walk with me,” She murmured, the order soft yet firm. Sita and Aang shared a look with Katara before following the princess until they arrived at a balcony. Yue sighed and looked up at the sky. “The legends say the moon was the first waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gained a thoughtful expression as she stared up at the waning gibbous. “I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night,” She added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue nodded. Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon. Our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean,” She explained with a gesture at each of the bodies, “They work together to keep balance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s like Agni and Dìqiú,” Sita agreed. “The Spirit of the Sun working with the Spirit of the Earth, maintaining balance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A gasp escaped Aang. “The spirits!” Sita looked over with a raised eyebrow. “Maybe I can find them and get their help!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched as Yue stared at him with furrowed brows. “How can you do that?” She wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara grinned. “The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World! Aang can talk to them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue’s own lips split into a smile while Sita watched Aang carefully. “Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!” She breathed out hopefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!” Aang winced as Sita shook her head while Katara and Yue eyed him oddly. “Or wisdom. That's good, too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita raised her hand. “One problem with this plan,” She interjected. “The Spirit World can be incredibly dangerous. How are you going to be able to keep yourself safe?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dangerous?” Katara questioned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were told stories as kids,” Sita defended herself. “That some of the spirits would take you away forever, never to return to your families or friends.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang swallowed nervously, causing Katara to rest a hand on his shoulder. Sita winced at the expression on his face and cursed herself to hell in the back of her mind. Katara smiled gently at the young Avatar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, I’m sure none of the spirits will hurt you. The only real problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?” She asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before anyone could ponder her words, Yue spoke up. “I have an idea. Follow me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita walked behind Yue, Katara, and Aang as they crossed through the Royal Palace to a small path leading further north. They walked mostly in silence, with only the sounds of the glaciers groaning and the soft swishing of the ocean to be heard. Finally, they reached the destination Princess Yue had in mind, a destination behind a small, locked, wooden door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang slowly walked up to the door. “So, is this the way to the Spirit World?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A soft laugh escaped the princess. “No. You'll have to get there on your own,” She explained. “But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was the sound of a key turning in the keyhole, and then the door swung open. Sita watched as Aang slowly stepped inside, and heard the gasp that escaped his lips. Katara followed a moment later as Aang sprinted inside, but the firebender hung back. Her eyes moved to Princess Yue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will remain out here,” She decided. “This is a sacred place of your tribe, I don’t want to intrude.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue nodded gratefully and walked inside while Sita went to a small alcove just off the path and took a seat on a bench made of ice. Her legs came up and crossed under her body, her hands extended out, and her eyes shut as she slipped into a peaceful meditation. Eventually, two small flames appeared in her palms, ones that grew and shrunk with each of her breaths. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the peace wasn’t meant to last. An hour later, Sita gasped as a hand wrapped into her hair and yanked her head back. Her eyes snapped open, revealing the scarred face of Prince Zuko to the golden orbs. His other hand came up half a second later, cutting off the beginnings of her scream. Her heart pounded in her chest and her eyes widened with fear. The Prince, however, could not have looked smugger if he tried. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Imperial Whore and the Avatar?” He jeered. “It must be my lucky day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita said nothing, choosing instead to attempt to fight against him, but it was to no avail. Within seconds of escaping his embrace he had caught her once more, but with manacles around her wrists, ones that secured her arms behind her back and pinched her wrists to the point of being unable to firebend. Her ankles went next, and before she knew it she was helpless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My father’s going to be so pleased to see you again, Lady Sita,” Zuko muttered coldly as he grabbed a scarf and gagged her with it easily. “You two have a lot to talk about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blood pounded in her ears as fear morphed to the more powerful influence of sheer terror. Memories rushed across her mind as she stared up at Prince Zuko, a nearly spitting image of his father. Zuko’s lips curled into a smirk as his hand hooked around the chain and forced her to follow him to the door to the Oasis. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her cries of help and pleads for him to leave her friends alone went unheard, even when he kicked open the door and sent a fire blast towards Princess Yue. The white-haired woman let out a scream and sprinted from the Oasis, thankfully unhurt. Katara’s eyes widened in horror and soon there was water surrounding her hands defensively. Behind her, Aang meditated and remained unaware of Zuko’s presence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let her go!” Katara shouted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko let out a derisive laugh. “Well well, aren’t you a big girl now?” He carelessly tossed Sita aside, the girl falling onto the grass with a loud thud. “Give me the Avatar, and then the three of us will be out of your hair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara snarled at him. “No!” The water thrashed out, slamming Zuko in the side and sending him stumbling while Sita rolled away and forced herself to sit up. “You aren’t taking either of them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why would you defend a whore like her?” Zuko demanded, his eyes narrowing with fury as flames appeared around his hands. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take that back!” Katara shrieked, more water striking Zuko as flames flashed out to meet it. “Sita isn’t a whore, she’s our friend!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A louder laugh, a mocking cackle, escaped Zuko. Fear grew within Sita as her gaze snapped back up to the Prince . However, he didn’t get a single word out, couldn’t reveal anything she didn’t want him to, as a sudden rush of water slammed Zuko into the ground before freezing into a block of ice. His expression morphed to one of shock before his head collided with the ground, forcing him to lose consciousness. Sita’s eyes widened as Katara rushed forward a moment later and knelt before her, her hands coming up to undo the gag. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are these?” She demanded, her fingers moving across the manacles on her ankles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita blinked and looked back down at them. “Chi-blocking cuffs,” The words came out in a dull whisper. “They’re putting pressure on the joints of my ankles and wrists, so I can’t bend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gasped and forced Sita to raise her ankles to get a better look at the cuffs. “How do we get them off?” She asked worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t,” Sita muttered while forcing herself to stand. The chains were just long enough for her to take proper steps. “They can only be opened by specific keys, and any attempt to use something else will tighten them further.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t it hurt?” Katara wondered as she slowly followed her friend to remain near Aang. “It’s essentially pinching your joints.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt yet,” She assured her friend. “But it will if we try to get them off without the key.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then I need to search Zuko,” Katara decided. “Find the key.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Sita snapped. “Moving him might cause him to wake up, and he probably doesn’t have the key on him. These are meant to stay on until you get a prisoner to a jail cell, so he probably left the key with someone else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it as she watched Sita take a seat next to Aang protectively. Instead, she sighed and made her way over to sit on Aang’s other side while sending worried glances at Sita. This was how they remained for the rest of the night, with the waterbender checking to make sure Zuko was unconscious several times through the night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Sita next awoke, it was to the feeling of a hand in her hair and the scream of a young woman. Her eyes shone with unshed tears of fear as Zuko stood above her with Aang thrown over his shoulder. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please,” She begged. “Leave him alone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko scoffed. “Get up,” He ordered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita flinched but did as he bid for fear of injury on Aang’s behalf. A moment later, Zuko pulled out a knife and cut away the coat she was wearing to drape it around Aang and himself. Sita shivered but said nothing in response. If anyone deserved the coat more, it was Aang. Her eyes moved to Katara and gasped in horror at the sight of her laying in front of the door to the Oasis, unconscious. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She rose with the moon,” Zuko drawled. “I rose with the sun.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From there, Sita had no idea where they were going. All she knew was the feeling of snow and ice scraping against her skin as they wandered away from the tribe, the pinch of her manacles, and the feeling of invisible bars closing around her. Once again, she was a prisoner of her nation. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey guys! I know it's been a while, and this chapter was on the shorter side of the spectrum, but I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section and I hope you have a good day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Siege of the North Part Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The day stretched on, slowly and bitterly, as Zuko staggered through the snow of the North Pole with the Avatar on his back and the Imperial Whore behind him. His back ached and his legs were quick to join it, but he seemed to be the only one affected as of yet. The girl behind him was keeping pace easily, and Avatar had yet to awaken. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t believe his luck, having found both of them in the same place. While intelligence reports had indicated they were traveling together after an incident with Admiral Zhao, Zuko had been slow to put any stock in the news. It seemed too good to be true, to find both of the people that his father wanted to get his hands on most. However, he was not about to turn down the golden opportunity. Bringing the girl back alongside the Avatar would give him more than just his honor, it would give him his father’s respect. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To said girl, though, Zuko might as well have told her he was going to string her up by her ankles and violently whip her in front of the entire Capital City. Dread filled every inch of her body, working with the wind, snow, and frigid temperature to leave her numb to every emotion except pure terror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It seemed as if everything she had done in an attempt to get away was for naught. Sita had clawed her way out of the slums of the Capital, ran across half of the Fire Nation, become a firebending master, and now she was being brought right back. And now there was the threat of death upon her return unless the Spirits decided to smile upon her but she didn’t think that was particularly likely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, instead, she tried to force herself to bury the fear, to maintain her dignity till the very end. Her eyes dulled, her posture straightened, and she forced herself to look straight ahead, past Zuko, at the snow-covered wasteland around them. It was a right better sight than her incapacitated pupil upon their captor’s back, which only threatened her with tears and misery at the thought of Aang being destroyed by Zuko and Ozai as well. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only comfort she could find, truly, was that Azula was not there. If she had been, Aang would be close to death and the pristine white snow of the North Pole would have been bathed red with Sita’s blood. It was a certain fact that actually brought more comfort than she cared to admit. Still, it wasn’t enough to completely assuage her fears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CRACK. Sita gasped as a sudden movement beneath her sent her stumbling. Zuko growled and yanked her forward as the ground, a sheet of ice, began crumbling beneath them in jagged shards. The wind ripped at their bodies as they sprinted forward. Sita’s mouth ran dry as she watched the ice split open around them. Zuko’s heart hammered in his chest as he fought desperately to keep Aang in place on his back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then they fell forward, onto solid ground and into a pile of freezing snow. Sita’s chest heaved as she gasped for air, but Zuko didn’t give her a second of reprieve before tugging her back up to her feet and looking around slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do this,” She suddenly called out, bringing his harsh gaze to rest on her. “You know that, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko scoffed. “I think you’ll find that I do,” He snapped. “Now come on, we need to find shelter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a desperate need for warmth resonating in her mind, she nodded and continued to let Zuko lead her across the ice and snow until they reached a small cave that gave them a small respite from the storm outside. From there, Zuko was quick to tie Aang up and prop him against a rock before dragging her over to sit across the room from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You whores are too good with your hands,” Zuko muttered. “Can’t let you get too close.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His prisoner bit her tongue at that, fury bubbling within her at his repeated title for her. Yes, she had been a prostitute, but that didn’t give the Prince the right to call her a whore. Sita’s body went limp a moment later, though, as Zuko drew closer, vitriol still dripping from his lips. He may not have the right, but he would do it anyway. Ozai would do anything he wanted as well. Misery filled her once more at the thought, and her form slumped against the wall as Zuko continued to taunt her. However, his words fell on deaf ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, his words turned to blows. Pain exploded on Sita’s skin, a harsh skin that soon turned to a dull throb that she knew would not abate anytime soon. But still, she refused to give him the satisfaction of crying out. Until she was finally thrown on the dais in front of Ozai, she wouldn’t relinquish her dignity. That was all she had left, it seemed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, despite the sharp crack of each slap and the muffled thud of every punch, one of which cracked a rib from what she could tell, she stayed quiet. Tears stung her eyes and her hands tightened into fists that forced the cuffs around her wrists to tighten further. Her hair hung in an ebony curtain to shield her from the face of her attacker. Her eyes were trained on the ground, the unwavering foundation beneath her that bled an icy chill into her aching body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When minutes passed and the girl refused to respond, Zuko decided he’d had enough and turned away before moving to start a fire to warm himself up. Behind him, Sita released pained groans and pressed her body against the freezing stone in an attempt to assuage the aches. And across from her, Aang continued to slumber as his spirit ventured further into the Spirit World.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Said Avatar could easily say that this visit had not been the most pleasant. The Spirit World was dimly lit, with a somber color palette, and seemed to watch Aang’s every move as he moved throughout its lands. On top of that, every spirit he had encountered so far seemed to be quite keen on ignoring him. In a rare moment of defeat, Aang took a seat next to a pool and let out a sigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wish I could find someone,” He mumbled. There was no noise to indicate anything had heard him. “Roku would probably know what to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the water splashed loudly. Aang’s eyes widened and he jumped back before he sighed in relief as he stared down into the pool beneath him, where Avatar Roku’s face stared back up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Roku, the Water Tribe's under attack,” He explained, “I need to find the Ocean and the Moon Spirits.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A frown appeared on Roku’s face as he emerged from the water. “The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits,” He murmured. “They crossed over the Spirit World to the mortal world very near the beginning. There is only one spirit I know of who is old enough to remember.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang tilted his head questioningly. “Who?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The spirit's name is Koh, but he is very dangerous. They call him the Face Stealer,” Roku continued, his words only feeding Aang’s growing unease. “When you speak with him, you must be very careful to show no emotion at all. Not the slightest expression or he will steal your face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The young Avatar’s face was openly agape and terrified at Roku’s words, but he quickly stamped away the emotion and nodded calmly. There were too many people counting on him, he couldn’t back down now. Roku smiled slightly at the gesture and beckoned Aang closer as his dragon appeared. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I shall bring you to Koh’s lair,” The older man offered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang nodded thankfully, and before he could get a steady seat on the back of the dragon, they were flying away. The Spirit World passed below them in a blur, ripping the air from Aang’s lungs as they gained speed with every passing minute. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How has your training been, Aang?” Roku suddenly asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grey eyes looked up at him. “It’s been good,” He answered slowly. “I have a new firebending teacher, Jeong Jeong’s apprentice-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita,” Roku finished. Aang nodded. “We’ve been watching your progress, Aang, and it comforts us to know that Jeong Jeong’s decision to make Sita your teacher was not a rash one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s great,” Aang agreed. “I got really lucky.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Roku smiled. “That you did,” He hummed. “It seems that all of your masters have been the best the Spirits could have bestowed on you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The young Avatar nodded eagerly, for his predecessor spoke the truth. Pakku’s skills were unrivaled as far as he could tell, and while he was strict it made Aang’s progress skyrocket faster than any other method. Sita was similar in that she had an unshakeable work ethic, but there were hints of Gyatso in her gentleness when training him that made everything just a little easier. And then the Airbending Master that he had been taken from too soon, well he had been delightful for Aang’s gentle soul. There was not a harsh bone in his body, and Aang could very rarely do something to disappoint or anger him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sadness echoed in his heart for the shortest moment before Aang shook his head. It was time to move on, he knew that. He could not dwell this much on the past when so much had to be done to save the future. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he looked straight ahead as Roku’s dragon continued to sprint through the damp air of the Spirit World and hoped he wouldn’t be too late when he came back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Aang continued to travel, his body remained perfectly still except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed in the frigid air surrounding them. A few feet away, Zuko sat in front of a blazing fire with his eyes trained on the woman leaning against the icy wall across the cave from him. She had not moved, not in any way that could threaten him at least. He frowned and stood to walk over, and realized she was half asleep, her right eye half swollen shut and her breathing slightly labored. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You might as well rest,” He muttered. “Not likely you’ll get any on the trip back home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita shuddered at that and forced her eyes open, despite the cold making her need for sleep grow exponentially. “I take it your entire crew will want a round with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Imperial Whore</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” She asked mockingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko smirked. “Perhaps,” He grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look up at him. “Then again, they might want more than one round.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, I bet,” Her lips twitched and her eyes narrowed. “You’ve had them at sea for too long with your failing quest, Your Highness.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her head snapped to the side, stinging once more. “You’d think you’d have learned that keeping quiet was your safest bet,” Zuko snarled. “Besides, I haven’t failed. You and the precious Avatar are both my prisoners.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Sita conceded. “But your success rate in actually holding on to prisoners seems rather low, at least from what I heard.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko sneered, and moved to strike her again, but instead walked away and grabbed Aang by the back of his collar. His lips curled as Sita’s eyes widened in horror. “Are you ready to shut up, now?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The firebending master growled a low and threatening sound, before nodding slowly and watching as Zuko lowered Aang to the ground next to the fire. He had her pinned, and she knew it. There wasn’t anything she could do until Aang regained consciousness and was able to fight alongside her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sharp cramp seized her side, forcing her to grunt in pain. Zuko looked over at the sound and scoffed before turning back to the flames. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you’d be stronger than this, given how long you've evaded us,” He commented, his eyes watching her carefully. “My sister thought so too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s head snapped up at the mention of Azula, fear coursing through her veins. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too bad she’ll never get the chance to break you, given how long you evaded capture and how much trouble you’ve been giving her and my father,” He murmured while glancing over at Aang. “I know she begged my father for the honor, and by rights she should have gotten it. She was always the lucky one, his prodigy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence filled the cave, with only the sound of a crackling fire breaking it. Sita dared not make a sound, her heart racing as she looked between the prince and Aang worriedly. He wasn’t talking about her anymore. No, his focus was on the far greater prize he had managed to snatch with his greedy claws. All she could hope for, now, was that he wouldn’t decide to make things easier for his father and kill Aang himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As her worry continued to consume her, blending with the pains that stabbed and bludgeoned her body on all sides, Sita could feel her strength weakening. She had little way of keeping herself warm, as bending was only possible through her breath and that was too difficult after what she had endured. So, all she could do now was rest and let the chill of the stone and the blizzard soothe the pain and numb her to the point of peace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ATLA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time continued to pass in such a way, with Sita worrying, Zuko plotting, and Aang only just now managing to get to the lair that Roku claimed contained the dangerous spirit, Koh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Surrounded by a great tree, the cave’s gaping entrance lunged out like the gaping maw of the Unagi. Aang shivered at the sight, fear snaking down his spine as he walked forward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be okay,” He whispered to himself, repeating the comforting mantra ever so slightly louder the closer he got to the entrance. “I’ll be okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, he stopped. His skin felt cold and his eyes were wide as he stared at the open entrance, from which soft and eerie noises echoed. They danced in the air mysteriously, each carrying their own warning of danger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except they weren’t coming from the cave, Aang realized. He let out a soft sigh, staring slightly to the left at a monkey that sat comfortably upon a knot in the roots of the tree. A smile appeared on his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You're just a curly-tailed blue nose,” He exclaimed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then he saw it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Where the monkey’s face should have been, was a blank slab of skin. Aang released a scream, jumping back as the monkey stared at him without seeing. His chest heaved as he forced his breath to steady, his eyes tracking the monkey’s moves as it suddenly dashed off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now he understood why Sita had warned him to be careful, and why Roku had done the same. There were very real dangers here, ones he had very little means of defending himself against. For once, he was near the bottom of the food chain. It was an unwelcome change, to say the least. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, Aang had no choice. So, he straightened his spine and took a deep breath. “Show no fear. Show no emotion at all,” He murmured to himself, hearing Roku’s voice echoing in his mind. It was a small comfort. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, he stepped into the cave. “Hello?” He called out as his world darkened with each step into the cave. “I-I'm looking for a spirit named 'Koh'.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before he could finish speaking the name of the dreaded spirit, the ceiling shifted. Aang looked around but saw nothing. No change to the cave’s form. But he could feel the spirit nonetheless. Leering over his shoulder, breath hitting the shell of his ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang didn’t move at all. He would let Koh come to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And come he did, for not another second passed before a face appeared before him. Painted white, with grey patches beneath the eyes and blood-red lips, Koh did not seem as terrifying as Roku had described. Deeply unsettling, sure, but Koh would not be able to tell that from the young Avatar’s face. He was perfectly emotionless, leaving Koh no choice but to force the interaction. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome!” He cheered in a rumbling, echoing voice as his body curled around the child in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang barely reacted, his expression neutral as he slowly bowed with his hands clasped in front of him. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koh twisted oddly, scanning the boy. “My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rage filled the spirit, and he lunged away from Aang. “How could I forget,” A soft squelch echoed as a deformed membrane closed briefly over the face to reveal a new one, an angry face of a middle-aged, mustached man with thick eyebrows, long mustache, and beard, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, how could I forget you? One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! Nearly eight or nine hundred years ago!” He roared as he twisted back to stare into Aang’s emotionless face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn't know that,” Aang confessed, his voice confused while his face remained stoic. “Why did he, or I, try to kill you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koh gave a dark chuckle as his face changed to a dazzling woman with ivory skin, deep slate-grey eyes, and an expression of pure terror. “Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved,” He crooned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang almost gave in to the urge to flinch at the sight of the woman, his mind instantly replacing it with those of his friends before his mind banished the thought. He could not lose himself to fear now. It wouldn’t help anyone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The face changed once more, to an angry baboon’s in mid-screech, before Koh reared back and lunged, stopping mere inches away from Aang. “Of course, that's all behind us,” He continued. “Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The spirit’s body snaked behind Aang to whisper in his ear. “You've come to me... with a new face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He continued to move, while the boy prayed to every deity he knew that he would not fail. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection,” Koh reappeared, his face now that of an owl. “So... how may I help you?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to find the moon and the ocean.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koh purred as he began the story, his body continuing to twist and coil. “Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please. Help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A scoff escaped Koh as he looked down at the boy from the ceiling. “Oh, you think you need their help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang watched Koh confusedly but didn’t move a muscle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually it's quite the other way round.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koh rushed down, his face changing in the blink of an eye to reveal that of a blue ogre with large fangs. His voice escaped in an almost deafening roar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone's going to kill them!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy in front of him exhaled slowly, his eyes falling shut before they opened once more. “What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The face changed once more to the original, all white and grey with a splash of blood. “You've already met them, actually.” He moved away, towards the mouth of the cave. “Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second as two circling figures appeared, with fan-like fins and stark coloring as deep as night and pale as the moon. Ripples surrounded them in the warmth of an oasis. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The koi fish!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Koh snarled hungrily at the sound of Aang’s realization, of his delicious </span>
  <em>
    <span>joy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His body twisted, his teeth bared, his soul sung for the prospect of another face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Aang was faster, and his face returned to its impassive state. “I must be going now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The spirit snarled softly and changed his face for the last time, becoming a bald, young man. “We'll meet again.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Koh receded into the shadows as Aang walked out of his cave. Once free, he took several steadying breaths before turning his gaze to the ground outside of Koh’s cave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The spirits are in trouble, I need to get back to the physical world!” He cried out, sagging in relief when Roku's image appeared on the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A friend is here, to guide you back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang frowned but grinned when he turned to see a familiar face. “Hei Bai!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The spirit groaned as Aang jumped onto him, and promptly set off to the entrance as quick as he could. Soon enough, Aang arrived at his starting location and jumped off Hei Bai’s back. He looked around confusedly before turning back to the spirit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is where I came in, but how do I get back?” He wondered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hei Bai somehow smiled without moving any part of his face. Aang watched as the spirit reclined onto his hind legs, his brows furrowed. Then his vision was blinded by blue light, which only halted when he finally landed in the Spirit Oasis. He beamed at the side of his faithful lemur companion sitting in the grass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Momo!” He reached out and paled at the sight of his pale blue and translucent arm. “Oh no, where's my body?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then the light returned, and suddenly Aang was flying across the air in a blinding beam of blue starlight. Icy snow ripped through his ghostly form, and Aang winced at the blizzard surrounding him as he flew across the frozen tundra. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then his eyes opened and he gasped in shock. He could hardly move his arms, a quick glance confirming they were bound, but his shock was quickly destroyed by a wave of rage and fear as he looked across the cave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leaning against the stone, unconscious and covered in splotches of red that had already begun to darken, was Sita. His body shook as he took in the swollen eye, the pallid and slightly blue complexion she had adopted from the cold, and the cuffs around her ankles and wrists. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Welcome back,” A voice called out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang snarled as he looked over to see Zuko standing across from a fire. Of course. There were few others who would have inflicted this upon himself or his friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's good to be back,” He snapped, his fury growing at Zuko’s smug expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before he even knew what he was doing, a burst of air shot from his feet, deafening the Fire Nation Prince as he was slammed into the wall. Aang didn’t care, though, as he jumped across the cave and quickly grabbed Sita’s ankles before propelling them out of the cave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was then that the fear grew as they landed in the snow, and Sita remained unresponsive. Aang’s eyes widened and he quickly wriggled over to nudge her side with his thigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita!” He shouted over the roar of the blizzard. “Sita, wake up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But she was silent. Her chest rose and fell, but otherwise, there were no other indications that his friend was still alive. Aang tried to shake her once more, but he choked as a hand grabbed the back of his collar and lifted him up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That won't be enough to escape,” He sneered before looking down at Sita. “Oh, do you like my handiwork? I figured she should be prepared for what my father is going to do to her when I bring you both to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang writhed furiously in an attempt to land a blow on the man behind him. He could not believe the cruelty of Zuko, to attack so many as he had. And now his friend was paying the price and would have to deal with a painful recovery if they ever made it out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Forget rage. Aang felt positively </span>
  <em>
    <span>murderous</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and it scared him just enough to snap him out of the rage and spot the creature flying toward them. He gasped and beamed, completely and utterly relieved. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Appa!” He shouted, watching as Appa landed and Katara and Sokka jumped off, their own expressions filled with fury. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko, however, gave a lazy grin in response and tossed Aang aside, the monk landing on his friend before he could do anything. Aang yelped and quickly rolled off of Sita to check her over once more. She remained unconscious, though, her breath coming in cold and shallow breaths that Aang could barely detect. He looked up as Zuko strode forward, his hands coming up to attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here for a rematch?” The prince demanded while firing several blasts of fire at the waterbender, who scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Trust me Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match,” Katara growled as her hands suddenly snapped violently, summoning all the water she could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Zuko was airborne. The cold air engulfed his vulnerable form as he shot through the storm before plummeting back to the snow, unconscious. Katara exhaled, relieved, before her eyes widened in horror at the figure beside Aang. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sita!” She shouted before rushing forward, Sokka just behind her. “Oh no!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes stung with tears as he took in the sight of the battered firebender while Aang desperately tried to force her to regain consciousness. “Did Zuko do this?” He snarled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, now cut me free so I can help!” Aang ordered, shoving his wrists towards Sokka as Katara quickly gathered some water and began applying it to the visible wounds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Sokka wasn’t paying attention to Aang. His eyes moved to Zuko, instead, lying prone and easy prey in the ice and snow. His hand moved to his knife, his eyes narrowed, and his lips curled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka!” Katara’s voice was shrill and cut across the haze in his mind. “Sokka, don’t do it! We need to get Sita out of here as soon as possible!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He beat our friend, Katara!” Sokka’s eyes were wide and incredulous as he turned back to his sister and his friends. “He beat her and left her to freeze in favor of his better prize, why shouldn’t I get rid of him?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shook his head. “No, Sokka. We need to get back to the tribe, they and Sita need our help, now!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded as she moved from one wound to the next, closing cuts and calming swelling with each move. “Aang’s right. The storm will take care of him anyways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Aang interjected. “We’re bringing him with us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a pause, filled only with the sound of the roaring storm. And then Sokka saw red. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you insane?!” He roared, grabbing Aang by his shirt and lifting him up. “That man will kill every one of us if we bring him with us, just like he tried to kill Sita while you were gone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And I will not see him die before he has a chance to be punished, properly,” Aang retorted, fire blazing in his eyes. “Now, cut me free so we can get out of here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka couldn't believe his ears. Aang was going to let Zuko live, after he, after his </span>
  <em>
    <span>nation</span>
  </em>
  <span>, had caused all of them so much pain. Their friend was bleeding into the snow, and Aang was refusing to leave him for dead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was times like this that Sokka detested Aang’s pacifistic tendencies, his desire for peace, and the conservation of life. Because this was a situation where he believed Zuko deserved to freeze, to meet the spirits, and be condemned to an eternity of suffering. However, with one look at Katara’s face, he also could see he would have no support. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So, he cut Aang free and quickly joined Yue on the saddle while the airbender quickly helped Katara, and then Sita and Zuko, into the saddle. Once the two firebenders joined them, though, Yue’s eyes widened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh Spirits,” She whispered at the sight of Sita’s still somewhat-beaten body. There was only so much Katara could do in such a hurry, after all. “We will need to bring her to the healers in my tribe immediately.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka nodded soundlessly and turned to gently adjust Sita so that she was resting with her head atop his legs and an extra coat bundled around her. His heart pounded with fear and his gloved hands gently brushed strands of hair from her face, revealing the swollen skin and split lip beneath it. He bit back a growl at the sight and glared at the prone form of Zuko. Across from him, Katara watched worriedly while Aang sent Appa up into the air, above the storm, and into the quiet above the clouds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should be there soon,” Aang called out, his eyes narrowing as the faint shadows of the battle came into view. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, make Appa go as fast as possible!” Katara shouted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“While I do that, Katara, can you keep trying to heal Sita?!” Aang demanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not without it possibly injuring her with the cold!” The Watertribe girl shouted back. “Trust me, soaking her in water is just going to hurt her more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then switch with me!” Aang ordered. “I can firebend, try to warm her up while you steer us back to the oasis.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara nodded and rushed over to grab the reins while Sokka adjusted Sita to lay flat on Appa’s saddle as Aang moved to them. The cold winds whipped his robes back and forth, and the shards of ice flying across the sky stung at his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka, hold me steady,” The boy in question frowned as Aang moved to kneel next to Sita. “I can’t airbend myself to stay steady and control my fire at the same time, and I’d rather not accidentally burn some of us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His friend nodded and reached out to grip Aang’s shoulders tightly. A moment later, Aang held out his hand and conjured a flame, one that only flickered slightly in the breeze as he fought to maintain control. Then, moving as carefully as he could, Aang lifted the extra coat and began moving the flame across Sita’s clothed figure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is going to work?” Sokka questioned worriedly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes narrowed as he searched for any indication in Sita’s face that she was waking up. “We don’t have many options,” He reminded his friend. “If this doesn’t, I’m going to have to try something mildly dangerous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue’s eyes widened. “This doesn’t seem like the time to experiment-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Katara can heal her at the oasis if something goes wrong!” Aang snapped. “Just let me help my friend.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, what are you thinking of doing?” Sokka interjected, gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to get her warm from the inside out,” Aang explained frantically as he continued spreading the heat of the flame around Sita’s body. “So I have two options. Breath warm air into her lungs, and force warm water down her throat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes widened. “Can you regulate the temperature enough?” He questioned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Avatar groaned and squeezed his eyes shut as his fear and frustration forced tears to form. “I’m mostly sure, but we don’t have many other options right now, Sokka.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His friend nodded. “I agree, so do it.” Aang looked up, shocked. “If worst comes to worst, Katara can heal her at the oasis, but she can’t do that if Sita dies between here and there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two boys looked at each other before nodding, their eyes filled with determination. Then, with a deep breath, Aang pulled the flame away from his friend and bent an orb of water out of the snow flying through the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please work,” He repeated to himself, his voice low and desperate as he held the fire next to the water, feeling the liquid warm up. Finally, deeming it was warm enough, Aang looked back to Sokka. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Open her mouth for me,” Aang urged. “I’m going to bend the water into her mouth and continue applying heat with the flame.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka didn’t say a word, moving immediately to pry Sita’s jaw open, revealing her mouth and throat to Aang’s eyes. Then, with a prayer to the Spirits, he watched as Aang carefully guided the water down Sita’s throat and into her stomach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, close her mouth while I heat up more water,” Aang ordered. Sokka nodded and did as he bid, watching and helping as Aang continued to heat up and feed Sita the hot water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any change?!” Katara shouted after the eighth round. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her brother nodded. “She’s looking warmer, but she’s not conscious yet!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, try healing her outer wounds with the warm water, it’ll give her insides a few minutes to warm up,” She advised. “Then the heat will be more equally distributed!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka and Aang nodded and turned back to Sita, the latter quickly summoning a larger body of water from the air that covered his hands with ease. Then, with a deep inhale every few seconds, Aang channeled energy into his hands, heating the water easily enough while Sokka turned to Yue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hold her hair away from her face,” He instructed. “We need to heal the bruising and swelling so she can see when she wakes up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang shook his head. “No, I need to get the bruising on her arms and torso. Being able to see will matter more once she can actually move. Yue, lift the coat and adjust her clothes so I can see properly.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The princess nodded and immediately did as he bid, revealing red and purple splotches of varying sizes on Sita’s arms, ribs, stomach and chest. Her heart clenched at the sight, but she dared not look away as she watched Aang bend the warm water around the firebender’s skin, causing it to glow a pale blue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, come on,” Aang whispered. “You have to be okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minutes felt like days as they watched with bated breath, praying this would work. The glow continued to pulse, seeping into Sita’s body and healing what it could. Color continued to rise in her face as her body continued to warm up. Sweat beaded on Aang’s forehead as he forced himself to maintain the heat in the water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aang, Aang, she’s waking up!” Yue exclaimed suddenly, her lips curving into a smile as Sita’s eyes slowly forced themselves open. “Can you hear me, Sita?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl swallowed and squinted out of her one good eye. “Loud and clear, Your Highness,” She croaked, her lips twitching into the smallest smirk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a whoosh as Aang sent the water back into the sky and leaned over to stare down at his friend while Sokka released his shoulders. “You’re okay!” He cheered, his arms flying around the girl to hug her tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita chuckled hoarsely. “It certainly seems that way,” She agreed, unable to return the hug as she lay under the heavy coat. Her eyes then moved to Sokka. “How did you find us?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We caught sight of Aang’s spirit returning to his body,” Sokka explained. “Since you were taken with him, we figured we’d follow it and find the both of you eventually.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But if you found us-” Her eyes widened with fear before darting around frantically. “Where’s Zuko?!” She demanded, terrified. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka shushed her gently. “He’s incapacitated,” He explained slowly. “We’re bringing him back to the tribe to stand trial.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita nodded slowly and relaxed as Aang pulled away, tears stinging his eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?” She teased with a slight nudge of her knee against his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang smiled weakly. “You scared me,” He admitted while lightly slugging her in the arm. “Never get this injured again, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No promises,” She joked with a wheezing laugh. “Now, can you fix my other eye so I can actually see everyone properly?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her friend nodded and smiled before summoning more water, which glided across her face with ease, before it suddenly collapsed, sliding down in droplets. Aang gasped at the sight and looked up as their surroundings were bathed in the color of blood. Sita’s eyes widened and she forced herself to look upward at the red sky. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Spirits,” She whispered. “What in the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue suddenly cried out and clutched at her skull. Sokka’s eyes widened and he lunged to grab her as she swayed from side to side. “Are you okay?” He demanded, leaning over to inspect her features. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I feel faint,” The princess whispered hoarsely, her skull pounding as if it were being struck by a hammer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I feel it, too,” Aang gasped, his hand clutching at the side of his skull. “The Moon Spirit is in trouble!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita frowned as she moved to sit up, her gaze focusing on the moon. “Aang’s right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara’s eyes widened. “How-?!”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zhao,” Sokka interjected. “They’ve breached the walls and done something, somehow.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a problem,” Sita muttered, leaning against Aang as she continued to force herself to sit up properly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But they couldn’t have,” Yue gasped. “We need the Moon Spirit, it gives the world balance!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which is why we’re going to do our best to get there before anything else happens,” Aang vowed with a glance towards Katara, who nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not too far, now,” She declared with a look out towards the tundra. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind him, Yue took a deep breath and looked up at the blood moon. “I owe the Moon Spirit my life,” She suddenly stated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka looked over, his brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I was born I was very sick and very weak,” Yue began. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I was asleep, my eyes closed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Our healers did everything they could. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara listened intently, her attention divided between the princess’ story and the immobile form of her friend laying next to her brother.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They told my mother and father I was going to die. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s ears also picked up on the story, but the fear and anger still running through his veins forced him to look ahead at the city in the distance. Next to him, Sita shivered slightly and avoided looking at their previous captor in favor of the brief glimpses of the tribe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes widened as the story continued, one he would normally be unable to believe if it weren’t for Aang and Katara showing him the impact of the spirits already. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My dark hair turned white. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That's why my mother named me Yue,” The white-haired girl murmured. “For the moon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re here,” Aang suddenly interjected. His eyes widened a moment later. “Momo, go stop Zhao from killing the Moon Spirit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara gasped at Aang’s shout and rushed over to see Zhao standing in the oasis, a bag in his hand and a deranged expression on his face. “No…” She breathed out, horrified. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before he could fire a blast, though, Momo screeched and reached out, his claws ready and eagerly scratching at Zhao’s head. Furious shouts ensued, but Zhao had no chance to retaliate before Appa landed, all of the conscious passengers disembarking as soon as his feet touched the ground. That is, except from Sita, who watched from the top of Appa’s saddle as the cuffs around her wrists and ankles impeded her ability to fight or move easily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then the two groups, one Fire Nation and one led by the Avatar, each grabbed their weapons and moved into their stances. However, they were cut short as Zhao lifted the sack higher. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don't bother,” He sneered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s eyes widened as he and his friends lowered their weapons. “Zhao, don't!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe,” Zhao declared, a sickening look of pride on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe, it will hurt everyone, including you!” Aang explained. “Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zhao didn’t respond. Instead, a low and wise voice all of them had heard before called out from the shadows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He is right Zhao,” Iroh responded, his face stern and barely masking the anger he held in his heart for the man holding the Moon Spirit captive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s eyes widened at the sight of the man. It had been many months since she’d last seen the Dragon of the West, and yet it didn’t dull the slight fondness she held in her heart for him. However, she stomped the emotion down and forced herself to turn her attention back to the situation at hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?” Zhao scoffed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I'm no traitor, Zhao,” Iroh retorted as he removed his hood. “The Fire Nation needs the moon, too; we all depend on the balance.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He suddenly discarded his cloak, his hands coming up to their stance as he prepared himself to attack. “Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold. Let it go, now!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment passed. Then, with a look of defeat, he lowered the bag into the oasis and took a step back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang relaxed. Sokka’s grip tightened on his club as he watched Commander Zhao with narrowed eyes. Katara’s gaze moved between Zhao, Iroh, and the koi. Her eyes widened, her breath stopped in her throat, and fear parlyzed her as Zhao raised his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Light suddenly flooded the oasis, blinding and accompanied by a piercing cry of rage as Zhao’s flames cut across the surface of the water. Iroh gasped and recoiled from the flames, his eyes bulging with terror. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Yue shrieked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita gasped and rolled out of Appa’s saddle before forcing herself to stand, fury pushing her movements despite the lack of bending to back them up. She could not believe this, she wouldn’t believe it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara let out a cry of rage, one that reverberated through her very being as a waterbender, as she felt her soul break alongside her connection to the water that covered the world. Part of her was missing now, and she was terrified that she would never get it back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Several feet away, Sokka moved to attack, his body vibrating with suppressed fury, but he froze as the sky turned dark, and cold. The world became bathed in a dull gray that left the frozen kingdom more lifeless. The moon had disappeared, another bright light snuffed by the Fire Nation’s darkness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang’s jaw hung agape, his staff fell to the ground in shock. He had failed, he realized. He had doomed the Northern Water Tribe, the whole world, because he just wasn’t fast enough. His efforts had all been for nothing. The thought was miserable, and nearly forced him to his knees as he was forced to reckon with his failure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Iroh did not submit to the misery and horror that had washed over the others. Instead, fire shot from his hands and feet faster than anyone was able to comprehend. Screams echoed in the oasis as Zhao’s soldiers’ skin sizzled with each blow from the flames. Zhao himself, though, was able to dodge behind their wounded bodies. Within seconds, his company followed him from the oasis, escaping with wounds that would most definitely scar and serve as a permanent reminder of this day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the Fire Nation soldiers gone, Iroh slowly approached the oasis alongside Sokka, Yue, and Katara. His heart clenched at the sight of the pale koi fish drifting at the surface, its companion swimming in urgent circles around it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve all lost, now,” He murmured while kneeling beside the water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aang swallowed audibly and turned away, tears leaking from his eyes and streaking down his cheeks before he wiped them away. His entire body trembled with extreme sadness, a suffering that settled on his shoulders and threatened to push him to the ground. This must be his connection to the Spirit Realm, he pondered sorrowfully. A part of him was fundamentally rooted in that second realm, and it had lost one of the largest influences, one of the greatest inhabitants it had ever held. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He jolted from his thoughts a moment later at the feel of someone kneeling beside him, their hand atop his shoulder. Aang looked to his side and stared at Sita, her own expression dull and almost lifeless as she processed what had just occurred. His hand reached up and covered her own before they stood and walked to the edge of the pool while Iroh carefully reached in and lifted the fish from the water. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There's no hope now, it's over,” Yue breathed out, her voice choked with tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita opened her mouth to respond, but never got the chance as the boy beside her began glowing. Her eyes widened and she jumped away, her hand shaking as she took in the eerie light emanating from Aang’s eyes and tattoos. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” His friends gasped as they noticed Aang’s state. “It's not over,” He declared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, with careful and deliberate steps, Aang entered the water of the oasis. The dark water brightened with his presence, soaking in the pure power that reverberated from his very soul. La, dark and dangerous despite being a mere fish, began to circle him seconds later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita’s brows furrowed as the fish moved faster, before gaping as Aang sunk below the surface of the water. “Aang-!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Sokka grabbed her before she could rush after her pupil. “It’s his Avatar State,” He explained softly, a pained expression on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, the rest of them turned back to the oasis, watching as it lit up with the light of a million moons, encapsulating the Northern Water Tribe in an ethereal glow. Then the light traveled to every canal, filling the entire civilization with unimaginable power. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was when it took form that Sita was truly shocked to the point of speechlessness. The sight of the light rising up to form a giant amphibious-like creature, facing out toward the sea, with Aang in the center, controlling it, was something she’d never dreamed of. Sheer awe enveloped the girl as she continued to watch it move through the canal, out toward the ocean where the oblivious Fire Navy fleet lay waiting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita was pulled from her shock, however, at the sound of something being placed in the water. She looked over, and felt her heart break once more at the sight of Tui floating in the pond. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Katara,” She called out. “Can you…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But her friend shook her head. “It's too late, it's dead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes stung with tears, ones that she brushed away as she took a seat on Iroh’s other side. “It can’t be,” She murmured mournfully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, my dear, it is,” Iroh replied, turning to look at Sita, who stiffened at the term of endearment before meeting his gaze. “I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s where you’re wrong,” A quiet voice suddenly chimed, forcing all of them to turn and stare at Yue with wide eyes. “I believe I can do something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iroh gaped at the sight of the woman. “You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you,” He realized. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yue nodded once. “Yes, you're right,” She slowly approached the oasis, staring down at the lifeless koi. “It gave me life, maybe I can give it back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka shook his head and reached out, grabbing Yue’s wrist tightly. “No! You don't have to do that!” He cried out, terror seizing his heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet the princess was unmoved. “It's my duty, Sokka,” She declared, her voice slow, calm, and collected as she spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man gripping her hand shook his head wildly. “I won't let you!” His hand tightened around hers. “Your father told me to protect you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sokka,” Sita called out softly, earning the man’s attention. “She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>choosing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do this. Let her save her people,” Sokka’s eyes filled with tears. “Let her do what Aang couldn’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that, Sokka’s resolve broke. For he knew, deep down, that saving the world, saving the Northern Water Tribe and their culture, was more important. And he would never get in the way of that, ever. So, his grip relaxed, and he bit back a cry of pain as Yue’s hand slipped free to dip into the water, resting against the body of the koi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The air filled with a bright glow emanating from the koi. Sita watched as the color drained from Yue’s features, her own heart full of sadness for the woman the world was losing. Katara rested her hand on her brother’s shoulder, her hand covering her mouth as she watched with eyes full of tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then the koi began to move, and Yue collapsed into Sokka’s waiting arms. Princess Yue, daughter of Chief Arnook, was gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Sokka wailed, curling in on Yue’s body as Iroh and Sita watched the revived koi fish begin to swim once more. “She's gone, she's gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Katara bit back a sob and swallowed her tears before enveloping her brother in a tight hug. She refused to let him mourn alone, not when she was there. Her brother would never endure that pain, not if she could help it. She gasped, though, when Sokka jumped in her embrace, revealing the disappearance of the princess. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where did she-?” She wondered, before a brilliant glow cut her off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sita smiled sadly as a beam of moonlight emerged from the oasis, revealing the transparent figure of Princess Yue. “Welcome, Spirit of the Moon,” She greeted, her head bowing a moment later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sokka’s eyes widened in shock as Yue nodded to the firebender. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, for helping to protect my people,” The spirit replied, her voice gently echoing as she spoke. Then, she turned to Sokka and moved forward, her hand coming up to cup his cheek. “Goodbye, Sokka. I'll always be with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That proclamation echoed endlessly in the oasis as Yue leaned forward, her lips meeting Sokka’s with the delicacy of flower petals before they parted. As Sokka opened his eyes, he felt tears return at the sight of a full moon hanging in the sky. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s…” Sokka swallowed, the words dying in his throat as he turned to sob in Katara’s arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Iroh turned to look at the woman beside him. “It’s been many months since we last saw each other, Sita,” His eyes traced over her features. “Yet you seem to only have become more lovely in looks and spirit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The firebender smiled in response. “It’s wonderful to see you, Iroh,” She admitted before her expression dulled. “I can’t say the same for your nephew, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iroh winced. “The years have not been kind to him,” He murmured. “Not that it’s an excuse for how he treated you.” He gestured at Sita’s face as he spoke, the skin of which was still swollen and spotted with bruises. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nevertheless,” Sita reached out and took the General’s hands in hers. “Take him and go, now. It’ll settle my debt with you from when we last saw one another.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You'll need these, I believe," Iroh murmured while pulling a set of keys out from his pocket and quickly undoing the cuffs around her wrists and ankles. Before Sita could say a word, he held up a hand. "Keep them, I'd rather my nephew not have access to them the next time we meet."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," Sita breathed as she rolled her wrists and ankles, working out the stiffness. "Now, <em>go</em>."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It killed her to do this, to let Zuko go free, but she knew her moral code and she owed Iroh at least this much after their shared history. So, when they parted with kind words and the Fire Nation Prince in his uncle’s grasp, Sita tried to not let it affect her too much; despite how much she was terrified of what might happen when Zuko saw her next. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>These thoughts left her mind, though, as she watched the Ocean Spirit return to the water, leaving Aang atop a bridge that looked out at the peaceful ocean beyond the ice. They had won this battle, that’s what mattered at that moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They won. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the long wait, life pretty much fell apart for the better part of the last few months and I could barely get myself to write anything, let alone this. But, I'm on my feet enough that I thought I'd write this chapter and bring an end to my hiatus. </p><p>Unfortunately, my updates will still be slow. There's not much I can do to change that at the moment, but I hope you all will still enjoy the chapters when they do get published. I am never going to abandon this story as long as there are people enjoying it out there, I love it very much. </p><p>Now, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day, and I can't wait to see what you guys think. If you could leave a comment, it would be wonderful, and thank you again for being amazing readers.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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